I Packed my Bag and in it I Put...

Well, I am packed, so that's good. I probably have too much of one thing and not enough of the other lol. I will be at my sister's house though so if I need anything washed it can be. If I need to buy anything that I've forgotten I can. 

I am checked in on my flight online. The airport I'm leaving from is here in our town. It's a small airport and I'll fly to Detroit and from there onto London. I have quite a layover in Detroit as there aren't too many planes leaving from our town and they changed my flight to an earlier time. Sigh. It is nice leaving from our town though as the airport is (as I said) really small which means no long queues at Security. Once I'm through there I don't have to pick up my case until I get to London so that makes things easier. I have packed my Kindle, loaded with plenty of books and my headphones so I can listen to things on my phone. 

I shall arrive in London on Saturday and my sister, and her husband will pick me up at the airport. I am really quite excited. Of course, I wish Mum could be there, but my sister will be. 

I will try to post while I'm away, but I am going to be enjoying time with family. I will be trying to post some stories over on my Instagram page. I look forward to sharing lots of photos when I get back. I'm not taking my big lens with me but something more manageable that I can walk around with and be in the moment. I'm not taking a computer either, so no camera photos until I get back. 

I am looking forward to visiting Mum's bench and remembering the good times we spent at Felixstowe, eating Fish and Chips from her favourite shop. I would drink a Gregg's Latte in memory for her as it was her favourite, but I'm not a coffee drinker. 

A couple of phone photos of my walk today. I managed to get in a small one before the rains came. By looking at these you'd never think that an hour later - and most of the morning - it was pouring rain and storming. 

Week Flying By - Again - Getting Ready

Had a nice day out on Sunday. We went to Kensington Metropark. It's pretty close to Detroit and a great place for city dwellers to get away. It's a 4,486 acre park that has a golf course, beaches, lakes, running and walking trails and a great nature walkway. We haven't explored hardly any of it as our favourite part of it to go to are the trails around the nature centre. There is a Heron Rookery, that has nesting herons in the springtime, a lake walk with all kinds of wildlife and (my husband's favourite) it's where you can stick your hand out with bird food and the birds will stop by and eat. 

We had a good walk around the lake, saw lots of bird including a wonderfully coloured Least Bittern. It's a pretty secretive bird and I was really lucky to get some photos of it. I have seen them before, but never so close up or when they were just sitting. 

Yesterday I went for a walk with my friend and then started to get the house in order and start picking out things I might take with me. My plane leaves on Friday. It's a busy birthday week too as oldest son's birthday is tomorrow, mother-in-law's on Thursday. I feel like I'm running out of time BUT I do feel somewhat organised (at least for me!). I have an idea of what clothes I am taking now. It's hit and miss with the weather but hopefully I'll pack the right sort of things. I don't think I'll take a lot of things to do. I MIGHT take a cross stitch project and my Kindle. I don't think I shall take any physical books. I always end up picking up some at the charity shops while I'm there, so I'll have plenty to read. 

It rained this morning, so I didn't go for a walk, but I did get more done at home than I expected. Tomorrow morning I'm going to take a break and go for as long a walk as I feel like. Probably more wandering around than walking. My friend won't be there so that frees me up to do as I please. In the afternoon when the guys come home from work, we're going to a local restaurant up the street to eat as that's what son would like to do. Over the last few years, I've not often been home when it's his birthday, so I think we're due a meal out!

I'll try to pop in again tomorrow.

I have some reading on blogs to do ! 

Skies This Morning - Video

 I made a video of the phone photos I took this morning before the storms came through. There was a gorgeous sunrise, a double rainbow and then the storms rolled through. I put music to it when I posted it on my Instagram Stories, but I have no idea how to put the same music to it now so it is without music. 

It was just wonderful and beautiful and so very peaceful to watch so I thought I'd share

I hope you enjoy. 

Another Week, another walk

Wow, can't believe another week has passed and I've got to play catch-up again tomorrow. It's not because anything of note has been going on, no house stuff except for the usual. I did manage to get a few things checked off my list. I'm starting to put together things I want to take with me on my trip home to visit my sister. It's only a week away now! I am desperate to get away - away from the day-to-day, a break in the routine, away from the bugs - and, most importantly, a trip to visit Mum's bench, just sit and enjoy a place I know she loved to be and a good visit with Sister.  

Daughter is doing well with her pregnancy. She is just tired a lot. To be expected. She says she is getting a little baby bump now (as she calls it lol). She is eighteen weeks along. So exciting! By the time I see her in September I imagine she'll have quite the bump!

I went out by myself for a walk today. It was lovely this morning, before the humidity set in and made everything feel like a sweltering mess. I didn't go too far. I don't think I shall tomorrow either. The price of petrol/gas is going up again (always seems to sometime in the summer) so I think our only adventure will be a trip on Sunday though not sure where. Tomorrow I'll just go out by myself I think, a walk at a park nearby. 

Some phone photos from today's walk 

Thanks for reading and for those who comment. I do really appreciate your support :)

Tuesday

Has anyone noticed that the mornings and evenings are getting darker? Seems like the days are getting a lot shorter more quickly. It's that time of year when the birds in the garden are going crazy. There are so many young ones around it is so very noisy outside - a nice noise, far more pleasant than the sound of traffic. The House Sparrows who had made a nest in the birdhouse are on their third set of babies. They have just fledged, adding to the numerous sparrows in the garden. 

I was pleased to see two hummingbirds visit the feeder yesterday. I was hoping to catch them today when I sat out while waiting for tea to cook, but it was not to be. I'm hoping I can sit out for a little while tomorrow and maybe they will visit. I want to take a few photos of them. 

I did not get anything extra done today. I did the regulars but that was about it. I had to end up going to the shops for something - not on the plan for today - so time was shorter. I should just have to go for a walk tomorrow and then come home, so I'm hoping I'll get more done tomorrow. There is some sorting and tidying to do before I leave on my holiday. 

Photo for today - one of the baby Sparrows likes to sit in the little container that has peanuts in it. This male Cardinal flew in and the baby looked a little confused. 

Back tomorrow - maybe with some house progress!

Sunday

I think I said in the last post that husband went over to his friends on Saturday afternoon. His friend's wife does a bit of photography too and somehow (he honestly says he's not sure how) husband ended up agreeing that we would go out with them on Sunday to visit the lakeshore and do some photography. Can't say I was overly pleased. I enjoy our Sunday adventures just to be the two of us. We wander along, stopping where we fancy. Husband's Friend's wife (call her L) is a planner. She plans well in advance. She already has their weekend trips planned well into next year! We were talking about a wildlife place that is closing for improvements. She says oh that's okay, we've not planned to go there until May! I swear I must have looked like a fish! She literally has all their days out planned. Husband and I, we have an inkling of what direction we want to go, but we usually wake up in the morning and drive somewhere - wherever the rain isn't to be honest. 

I'm not really a people person either, so it was a bit of a struggle for me to be social. I know L a bit, but she had a lot more in common with my husband (her husband sat in their car most of the time we were out walking) and my husband and her ended up walking and chatting. I felt a little like a bump on a log lol. I did manage to chat a bit though. At least I had the excuse of taking photos lol though it was a bit drizzly. 

A photo from yesterday

Everything does look wonderfully green though!

Back tomorrow!

Saturday

Husband and I went out for a little bit this morning. Mostly we drove a little way to our favourite Amish bakery/shop and picked up some goodies. Lol. They have some lovely cheese bread there that I can't resist. We don't go there all the time, but once in a while for a treat. 

This afternoon husband and son went out to husband's friend's house. I stayed home. Daughter video chatted with me and shared their progress on the baby's room and her latest garage sale baby purchases. She already has a lot of clothes. She has been going to some really good sales where clothes were 25 cents to 50 cents each. Can't beat that! I haven't bought any clothes. I told her that I will wait to see what they need unless something really catches my eye. Husband and I will be buying the cot and what goes with it. I think she said something about getting one that will eventually turn into a bed, so I think we'll get the bits to go with it. I'd hate for the cot/bed to be discontinued and not being able to find the other bits needed to turn into a bed. Apparently, it doesn't come all together.

Today was the first Saturday of the month and I did my #1Day12pics. This month I decided to take some photos of various bits of stones and sort-of shells that I found recently on beach walks. I like the way this has turned out!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Some Catching Up To Do

I can't believe the whole week has flown by since I last posted! I haven't been sleeping well - I think I'm in that no-sleep phase of menopause that I seem to go through every now and then. The other week I couldn't sleep enough, this week I am having trouble sleeping. The days have just been zipping by like crazy. Not much has been getting done at all. I'm putting a line under this week and will try to do better next week. 

In two weeks, I am off to visit my sister in England for three weeks. I am getting really excited. Between now and the time I leave I need to get a few things done so I need to buckle down. It's back to the list making again starting on Sunday. One list I have been sticking to is the meal planning. I've done a lot better with costs this week than I did last, but there is still room for improvement. I can't wait until things cool down a little so I can turn the oven on for longer. 

When I do go to England I think I'll take a note book with me and write down a few goals. Being away from here and having time to just breathe and relax and feel more like myself gives me a chance to reflect. I think it would be good to write some things down while I'm away. 

A couple of photos from this week - when it was cooler I sat out in the garden and took photos of the sparrows who occupy the bird house on the garage. They are having their third set of babies this year!!! Husband keeps meaning to clean the house out and the next thing we know there are babies again!

I shall be back tomorrow! It's on the list!