Thursday Thirteen

I completely let Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and almost Wednesday pass me by!  I've been so busy getting ready for the wedding and trying to do a few other things people have asked me to do.  I've been completely unaware what day it is. 

Ten days till the wedding and still so much to do!

1.  Figure out how to attach the backdrop to the wall.  Command strips?

2.  Make my daughter's rhinestone headband to match her belt.

3.  Sew some sequins on the veil she is borrowing from her sister.

4.  Make place cards for the seating chart.  The venue is requiring a seating chart, and they would like families to sit together so as not to spread covid.  We weren't going to have assigned seating, but now we don't have a choice.

5.  Make a flower arrangement for the seating chart/place card holder.

6.  Decorate the arch for the photobooth.

7.  Secure the (fake) rings to the ring bearer's pillow.

8.  Finish decorating the flower girl's basket.

9.  Get some roses and let them dry out so she can put those in her basket.  We aren't allowed to use fake petals because if they get in the water, they can damage the pumps on the fountains and waterfall.

10. Create envelopes with tips for the vendors.

11. Purchase the beer, wine, and sodas to take to the venue.  The caterer supplies water and iced tea. Our bartender will take care of serving beer, wine, and sodas.

12. Wash and pack everything up with a label if it's for the ballroom or the ceremony.

13.
Finish the scrapbook I want to give my daughter the day before the wedding.  Maybe after that, I can relax.  Maybe!

Click here to read other Thursday Thirteens or join in for even more fun!

Photo Wednesday

 I took this photo at a park near my home where there are some bodies of water for them to stand in.   I'm not sure if it's an egret or some other type of heron, maybe a blue heron like the one below it? Egrets around here are usually white, and this one is more of a light gray. 

This picture, I believe, is a blue heron which hang around in the park near my house where the kids play baseball.  Anyone know if they are the same species?

Find more photos at image-in-ing and Wordless Wednesday.

Random Tuesday

 Time to link up with Stacy for some random nonsense.

Starting off seriously today... I want to talk about the term "broken home" which I completely dislike.  I understand its meaning, but I don't like the stigma that comes with this term.  Having worked in schools for over thirty years, I know that many teachers think kids who come from so-called broken homes are likely to be less "academic" than students from nuclear families.  Besides, who says that a single parent home is broken?  I've known lots of people who come from divorced households who are no more "broken" than other kids whose parents are in the same household.  How can a home where the parents are fighting constantly under the same roof be less broken than a single parent household that is full of laughter?

Getting off my soapbox now...

The countdown is on!  There are 18 days until the wedding.  I still can't believe my "little girl" is getting married.  We have everything, but not everything is ready.  I still need to design and set up how her "candy bar" is going to look, finish making the centerpieces for the reception and aisle décor for the ceremony, put together an arch, print table numbers, and finish the scrapbook I want to give her before the wedding.  That seems like a lot!  But I can do it!

Now this...

We kept our grand-dogs for four days last week. 

Wish I had thought to do this with one of them!

And last, but not least...

Have a great week!

Photo Wednesday

 Here is a beautiful purple rose from the arrangement I received from my husband on my birthday.

Purple roses are the result of a hybrid, or cross hybridization.  The meaning of a purple rose varies by its shade. 

Lavender Rose Meaning

• Lavender: conveys enchantment and mystical love.
• A lavender rose with no thorns: love at first sight.

I'm linking up Wordless Wednesday and Image-in-ing.  Come link up and have some fun!

Random Tuesday

 It's already Tuesday? Time to link up with Stacy!

 Big weekend for me!  The bridal shower was Saturday, and for me, it was an almost all day affair, partly because I had to go pick my mom up and take her home when it was over.  She lives about 45 minutes away.  Exhausting!  But it went off beautifully!  Lots of their friends and family members were there (masks, shields, and mostly outdoors).They got some great gifts, things they can really use.

She had her bachelorette that night, and he had his bachelor party.  I think they were pretty tame.  Games, food, (something involving underwear for her) and movies at the girl party.  Video games, food, and Long Island Ice Teas for him.  I'm glad all that is over!

Now, countdown to the wedding is 25 days!  There are still things to do!  Centerpieces, aisle decor, and seating arrangements.  Plus a little scrapbook I want to give her.  Due to Covid, the venue is requiring a seating chart.  I don't know for sure why.  I feel like we can trust people to sit with other people who are usually in their circle of contacts, so I don't see assigned seating as mandatory, especially when we don't know who is going to want to sit inside or outside.  It's taken FOREVER to get the rehearsal scheduled, but that finally happened this morning.

I'm going for my echocardiogram today.  Next week, I will go for all of my results.  Question... have any of you ever experienced vaso-vagal syncope?

I'll move straight to some funnies this week.

Have a great week!

Sunday Synopsis

 

The Man in the Window by Jon Cohen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book. I try not to pin myself down to one or two genres so I occasionally choose a book that is not my typical read. This book is classified as "dark comedy," but I saw it more as "literary fiction."

Louis Malone was disfigured in a fire at age 16. He has remained hidden for 16 more years, perhaps showing up at the window with his face covered to hide his scars. He is a recluse living with his parents. Stories around town gossip that he is a monster, and this is how he sees himself.

Iris Shula is a nurse who lives in the same small town, although she hasn't lived there as long as Louis. Iris is short, overweight, and not pretty at all. When Louis falls out of his window, he meets Iris at the hospital, and the two share an unusual bond.

I did not like how the author made Louis seem so pitiful, which was how he created his life to be. And I didn't like the way Iris was described as being ugly, almost to the point of being unlovable. The author spent a lot of time describing things in colorful, flowery, poetic language. The symbolism was forced on the reader rather than happening naturally. And I didn't like the ending.

There was one fascinating aspect of the book having to do with one of Iris's other patients, but this was its main redeeming quality. This is the type of book that usually steers me away from literary fiction. It is too unrealistic, and the word choice is forced. It wasn't a horrible book. I liked it a little, but I didn't love it, and it isn't one I would rank high on a list of recommended reads. Alas, this sometimes happens when I venture out of my genre comfort zone.

View all my reviews

Photo Wednesday

A few photos I took as I was walking yesterday.

We have tons of egrets around here.  An egret is a type of heron. I've linked an article if you're interested.  

Happy Catnesday!

Why did you wake me up?

Link up with Wordless Wednesday and Image-in-ing for more photo fun!

Random Tuesday

 I'm linking up with Stacy to get random!

I see that Blogger has changed formats again.  They did this previously but let us go back to the regular view, but this time I think it's permanent.  In the new format, before, trying to post was S-L-O-W!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all the bugs were worked out.

Later today I am having a nuclear stress test.  I'm nervous.  I've had a regular stress test before, but not the nuclear kind.  From the Mayo Clinic:

A nuclear stress test uses radioactive dye and an imaging machine to create pictures showing the blood flow to your heart. The test measures blood flow while you are at rest and are exerting yourself, showing areas with poor blood flow or damage in your heart.

It's that radioactive dye injection I'm nervous about, especially if it's through an IV.  There's just something about needles!  I've got two other heart tests scheduled later this week and next as they are trying to confirm or re-diagnose a heart defect I was born with.  It hasn't given me trouble for many years, but lately, it has reared its ugly head.  Prayers are welcome!

Wedding planning has become quite intense!  Floor plans, types of tables and linens, seating plans, set-up, creating a timeline, choosing songs, etc.  My daughter is doing much of it herself - it IS her wedding - but lately she needs lots of help and suggestions.  I won't be glad when the wedding is over, just the planning part! 32 days to go!

Changing the subject... if you have read my blog for a while, you know how I hate porta-potties.  It's my goal to NEVER have to use one, but inevitably, I will likely need to some time in the future.  The reason I mention it is there are architects in Tokyo who have created transparent public potties.  What?  Yes, transparent.  They say that two concerns people have with portables are cleanliness and whether or not someone is in there.  This solves both problems.  But it is also discreet.  They use a film (the same kind my husband had installed in the mission control room at NASA) that turns the glass walls opaque when you enter so you have some privacy.  Interesting!

And now...

And last...

Have a great week!