Friday Thoughts

The word “Friday” definitely has different meaning now that we are retired.  For those working, Friday usually meant the end of a long work week and now 2 days to do whatever you wanted to do.  That would usually entail running errands and maybe some time for fun things!  Now Friday for us is just another day….LOL…usually our last day of the week to run errands, sight see, etc.  We like to stick close to home on the weekends and let the tourists or working crowd have the stores and tourist sights to themselves.  We understand that those 2 precious days to get a million errands completed is something we should stay out of the way from!  🙂

Speaking of retired…do we/I enjoy it??  Well we often say to each other how in the world did we get anything done when we were working all week.  Retired life is relaxing to me, I guess.  If I want to go walking with Max, work on needlework, practice on the keyboard, go thrift shopping, swimming, visiting with neighbors and even take an afternoon nap, I can do what I want in my time.  We are so blessed that we can have 2 homes and be snowbirds, I think that really helps too.  Here in AZ the weather is pretty steady and nice and we don’t have to worry about ice or snow and the chance of slipping and falling as so many of us need to think about.  So if this is something you are pondering, and if it works out for you individually, I would definitely take it in to consideration.  Relax and enjoy so many things!!

Golf Course

Yesterday I was sitting on the deck reading, early in the morning, and the guys were blowing leaves out on the greens.  One of the guys said “man there are a lot of leaves!!”  I had to laugh looking at the trees that still need to drop leaves and thought what you are seeing now is nothing compared to what you will see in a few weeks!!  Some of the yellow trees….

I was in my reading chair another morning when Max was looking out the window keeping an eye on the workers on the golf course!  🙂

Family Traditions

My good southern friend, Ashley, sent me this the other day!!

I had to laugh because this sounds so much like what our family goes through in Minnesota or Wisconsin to say goodbye after a family gathering.  David says “time to go on our goodbye tour!!” which really sums it up nicely as it takes a good amount of time to actually get out the door.  I am sure most people experience something similar!!

Skies

The other day, I “bragged” how little clouds we have seen here in AZ and shared a picture of the puffy little clouds that were present that day — the first time we had seen any since we were back.  Well the next day we had thunderstorms!!!  That is what I get for bragging.  But you will have to say seeing the lightning over the mountains was pretty cool and some of the storm clouds were worthy of pictures!!

Plants

On the garage side of the house, there was an ugly looking bush that we had the landscape people pull out last year.  They filled that area with purple rock, which looks so much nicer.  This year we decided to add some native plants.  They look small now but will spread out over the years.

(They even look smaller in this picture….LOL)  There are actually 5 plants — the middle one is a purple sage, the next two are a variegated agave, and the outside ones are called barrel cactus — we had to have at least 1 cactus!  🙂  There was one cactus that we considered…it may have been a prickly pear…don’t remember…but the landscaper said to stay away from that because it contains Glochids which are described here (he said they could be VERY difficult to remove — as described below):

Glochids enter skin at the slightest contact, then often break off in the process of extraction. Various removal methods include painful bikini wax or sticky tape for larger areas. Otherwise it’s magnifying glass and tweezers time with a very bright light. Unless removed immediately after penetration, it’s almost impossible to get them all. We cactus aficionados are the living burial ground of many old glochids that eventually disappeared.

So we definitely stayed away from that choice!!

So that kind of wraps it up for the week.  Max and I will continue to watch the golf course workers to make sure they are getting their jobs done!  🙂

Sad Note

On a sad note — one of my readers, Michelle, lost her father-in-law this week after a health battle.  It is hard to lose someone in your life, but when it the patriarch of the family, it adds a level sadness and sense of greater loss to the family.  There is a small piece of the family that will no longer be there.  But he will watch over your family, Michelle and his spirit will always be among all of you.  Take a piece of what he was to you and pass that on to others!!  Rest in peace, Jerry!

Hope everyone enjoys their Friday and have a very productive weekend in whatever you want to accomplish!!

TIFN

Can’t be an official blog post without a Jaxen picture…LOL – this is one of Jaxen and his mom done via Snapchat!  🙂

Editor’s Note:  Just in case you see mistakes or grammar issues….I hardly ever go back over what I have written and just like to have it flow freely.  So if there are mistakes, please don’t take out your red pens for corrections….LOL….just consider them a “characteristic” of this fun blog!  🙂