UPDATE: The winner is…Sara D!
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Argh! So far, I’ve only been in my pool maybe one handful of times. The weather here in Arkansas simply isn’t cooperating! I’m soooo frustrated. After tons of chemicals and scrubbing the sides and bottom, the water is crystal clear, but it’s too dang cold to swim comfortably.

We’ve had the pool since 2008, I think. In all these years, I’ve mustered the courage to brave a cool pool in April, knowing that by early to mid-May, it will be a comfy with the water temperature in the mid-80s. However, this year, Mother Nature is being a bitch. The outdoor temperatures here are still crazy cool for this time of year. Last night was in the upper 50s. Today’s temperature will only rise to 83.

It’s not that I have to swim in bathwater, but I’m actually allergic to the cold. The condition is called “cold urticaria.” If I’m submersed in water cooler than 80 degrees, I get welts all over my body and my skin itches like crazy. My symptoms get progressively worse the longer I’m exposed.

So, here I am. I’ll spend time today testing the water and treating it with some algaecide and looking at its crystal-clear depths. Maybe I’ll venture in for ten minutes just because I can’t stand not to (I am a water baby).

Anyway, that’s my gripe session for the day. I’ll keep busy editing some projects and cleaning up my space. I had a busy week working, and I let things pile up around me. I’ll keep busy so I’m not thinking about that lovely, ice-cold pool!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon GC, tell me what you’ll be doing today! Enjoy the puzzle! The image makes me sad. 🙂

It’s a thing. I don’t miss my daily posts. I think I’ve only failed to do so a handful of times over the last few years. I know it’s weird, but I’m obsessive that way. Anyway, I didn’t have time to post this morning because as soon as the kids were on their way to school, I had to shower and pack up because I volunteered to sit at the Art Center all day. When I go, I spend the entire day painting. I finished a couple of things, including this water-doodle. It was a happy, stress-free day.

Do you make time for yourself, away from home and obligations, to do something that gives you joy?

Our LaLa graduated yesterday! Our company is on the way to the airport! The house is quiet. As soon as I bid farewell at the door and had the house to myself, I turned on the TV, put my feet up, and watched The Thing. Not the cool one with Kurt Russell, but the newer remake. Horrible actually. Didn’t care. I was mindless.

Now, I’ve stirred. This blog is done. I’ll rejigger my plans for the next week’s hustle. Then I’ll find something else awful and mindless to watch. Maybe I’ll take a nap in the middle of it.

One down, two more to get through high school…

UPDATE: The winner is…ButtonsMom!
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This week is all about LaLa! Our graduate has so much going on that the entire family is involved. Today, there’s an award ceremony and a “signing” ceremony where she declares her college of choice. We’re all looking forward to Saturday’s commencement. So, I thought I’d devote today’s puzzle fun to her.

Solve the puzzle then share a memory about your graduation day or a family member’s day for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

Open Contests

1. Story Cubes: Tell me a story (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
2. IN ONE PICTURE: RHONDA LEE CARVER’S “BROKEN TRUST” (CONTEST) — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Saturday Puzzle-Contest & Open Contests — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. IN ONE PICTURE: AVA CUVAY’S “SNAFU—SITUATION NORMAL, ALL F***ED UP” (CONTEST) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. All About the Bass — No, that song’s just stuck in my head (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. IN ONE PICTURE: SUKIE CHAPIN’S “CLEAR TO ENGAGE” (CONTEST) — Win a FREE book!
7. IN ONE PICTURE: NATASHA MOORE’S “WEATHERING THE STORM” (CONTEST) — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…BN!
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This week is all about my girl, LaLa. She graduates from high school this weekend! Yay! In the leadup, there are sooooo many activities. There was a banquest last night where she got an award for being a honor’s student for three years. There’s the Senior Signing where you do a symbolic signing with the college you’re headed to. LaLa’s headed to my local alma mater. There’s the Senior Walk-out where the seniors, en masse, walk out of school days before everyone else gets to call it quits for the year. I hope they play “We’re not going to take it” as they do.

Then there’s family coming in on Friday, so a dinner that night. Graduation Saturday morning, then dinner again, that night.

All to celebrate getting our girl across the finish line. And we get to do this two more times…

It’s been fun to watch. I have no idea what the customs were when my peers graduated way back when because I dropped out to go to college. I don’t feel like I missed out on anything, because dropping out got me to Europe faster. That was my big goal—The Grand Tour—which the Army paid for by sending me there for my first assignment.

Anyways, we’re up to our eyeballs with spring cleaning, cleaning cars, rushing around to buy things. They are anyway. I’m up to my eyeballs with THREE sets of edits to complete this week, plus my own book to finish by Friday. I’m just a wee bit stressed.

So, I’ll leave you with one more photo of my girl…

And a question. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me something about yours or some significant person’s graduation!

The winner is…Diane Sallans!
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With less than a month left of school for the kids, we’re already planning how to spend our summer.

It gets hot in Arkansas. I mean, fry-an-egg-on-the-driveway hot. So, finding things we can do comfortably in the heat is a challenge. When the full heat arrives, we swim in the morning and sometimes at night with the tiki torches burning. We set up an outdoor projector to shine against the pale siding of the chicken coop, bring out the lounge chairs, and watch movies under the stars. The bats come out at night to keep the mosquitoes at bay. No kidding. They’re fun to watch, too.

Things like playing soccer or hiking have to be done early in the day. Things we can do indoors, like flea marketing, are musts.

I’ve made a list of things we’re planning. Perhaps you can add some ideas of your own! Let me know if any of mine appeal!

Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle (it’s fun and good for the old brain!), and comment below!

Psst! Just a quick reminder that there are contests ongoing over on the Delilah’s Collections website!

This Tuesday was a hard starter. (Is that even grammatically, correct? I don’t care!) I soooo wanted to stay in bed. My daughter even encouraged me last night to sleep in. She was up bright and early and already had the girls’ lunches packed (that’s my job!). I wasn’t needed. However, there are only so many hours I can lie in bed before … 1) I have to pee, 2) no position —back or sides (never on my tummy)— feels comfortable, and 3) I have to see everyone.

Besides, I have a very full day ahead of me, and if I don’t start early, I won’t finish! My To Do list for today is 18 items long. That sounds nuts, but I put even little things on it, like watering plants, so I don’t forget…because I do. I’m a lister. Always have been, and you’ll know I’m not well if I don’t have one sitting in the middle of my desk. I list what’s important (writing goals, edit goals), then put things in between those that make me get up and move around (like watering those pesky plants, cleaning Loki’s fish tank, or sweeping around the bunny’s cage).

No contest, no game today. I have to start work now! But remember, there are open contests you can find by scrolling down my blog page or following the link to the Collections site, so be sure to go play! If you want, give me a kick in the butt to get going—some encouragement. I’m already thinking I need a nap.