Weekending- Memorial Day Weekend

Linking up with Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday:

Friday, I didn't work. It was the last Friday of our district's school year and so it was the last possible Friday to sub but I didn't pick up a job. Friday marked day three of Donnie working from home due to NATO holding a session in downtown Dayton where he works and subsequently making travel to and from downtown challenging. 

I ran, literally as well as figuratively, did laundry, and hung out with Alyssa if I remember correctly. Abby had gone back to her apartment in Oxford earlier in the week to get all of her items moved out. However she did come come in time for dinner on Friday. Dinner was pizza from Donnie's favorite pizza place and I have no idea what we did after dinner.

Saturday was much of the same as Friday- getting some things done around the house and outside as well as running to the grocery for items from both Kroger and Sam's Club for a cook out we were hosting on Sunday. Saturday we did go out to dinner- originally, just Donnie I were going out to eat. Our anniversary had been Thursday so this was going to be our going out meal. I mentioned to one of the girls that, "we're going out to dinner" meaning Donnie and I were but she took that to mean "we're" as in everyone and who was I to deny a meal out at a restaurant? It's interesting- since Donnie got his grill, we've eaten out much less than we used to. He makes delicious steak and chicken on the grill and the meals made at home are less expensive and typically much more healthy than restaurant meals. Not eating out as much also has the effect of making going out to eat that much more special. When you get into the habit of eating out just as a habit, it isn't nearly as special. When it's done more once in a while, it's something to really look forward to. We had a nice meal out with the girls and their guys were available, too, so they came with us so we ate together at a Mexican place in town. Donnie and I will (Lord willing) have many upcoming meals that will just be the the two of us; the girls' time with us is fleeting. 

Sunday morning before church, I made cookies for the cook-out. I made cookies from a recipe that makes a lot of cookies- way more than the traditional Nestle Tollhouse recipe makes. It's a decent bit different than a traditional CC recipe. It calls for a cup of butter and a cup of oil as well. And then just one egg... four and half cups of flour and a cup each of white and brown sugar. Then baking powder, soda, salt and cream of tarter. Some vanilla, chocolate chips and I always add M&M's if I have them. The cookies are super soft and the tiny crunch when your teeth make contact with the M&M shell is a subtle, but tasty contrast. I will say that some people do not care for these cookies much but many like them better than Nestle Tollhouse cookies (me!) and I love how many a batch makes. At the cookout, two of the young men especially loved them. I told the one who first declared his love of them that I'd give him all of the leftovers. But teen boy two, a decent bit bigger than teen boy one, loved them as much as teen boy one and there was nary a cookie left by the end of the cookout!

They taste as good as they look if I do say so myself...

Church was really good- we got to chat with the pastor and his wife before the sermon started. We'd never had more than a very short conversation with him. This one wasn't super long but it was longer than before. He's a wonderful pastor and seems like a great guy (not surprising of course!).

We came home and got ready for guests to arrive for our cook out. I did minimal decorations and didn't prepare too much food either. We asked everyone to bring a dish to share. There were going to be over twenty of us and it would be A LOT to make that much food for everyone... We contributed the meat to grill and all the fixings for burgers and I made a salad, the cookies and had items to make s'mores.

The sun was not out (it was cool and overcast :() but the buns were out...

Our neighbor friends came over for a cook out. We've known three of the four families we had over for almost twenty years now- unbelievable in many ways that it's been that long except I remember when all of the kids who were there were born and they're now all teenagers or young adults so it makes sense in that regard! We had a great time together. When the Pacers-Knicks game came on, we realized that we all wanted the Pacers to win so we watched that. The Pacers didn't pull it off but they're still a game up in the series so hopefully they'll make it to the finals.

We ate...

Chatted...

Played...

Watched a heartbreaker...

And despite everyone not being happy with how the game ended, had a good time.

Got to bed late and I didn't sleep in on Monday (but would nap later). I got quite a bit of reading done, including reading news articles. I was dismayed to read a number of headlines. A Christian organization out in Seattle had a rally in a park.  Counter protesters began throwing bottles of water at police and 23 individuals were arrested. Read more about the event here. It seems like violence is more and more the choice that people make and/ or approve of when they disagree with someone. From attacking those wearing a hat bearing the name of a politician whom some don't like, to overtly cheering about and praising the torture, death and kidnapping of over one thousand Israelis on Oct. 7, to defending the actions of a man who (allegedly) shot the CEO of a company that many don't like, violence seems to be accepted and justified more and more. 

I mean, violence has always been a part of mankind's existence. All of the *progressing* we've done has not eradicated our most selfish and violent tendencies. We observe Memorial Day to honor those who've paid the ultimate sacrifice for the political disagreements of warring countries. As our country is more and more fractured politically, violence is impacting men and women (and children) from within. I have hope, belief and faith that there will be an end to the violence- when Jesus returns and that my final home is not on earth but in heaven. In the meantime, denouncing violent acts and calling attention to them seem to be small things that I can do now. 

I digressed from the weekend... circling back to that and to talk of the earth, though this time of literal earth, the sun made an appearance Monday morning after days of clouds, and Alyssa and I went to sit outside to read after we'd run to UDF to get gas in Alyssa's car and drinks. It was still cool out so we needed to be in the sun to feel its warmth and one of the best places to sit was in my garden. As in, in the opening of my garden where I planted nothing so as to have a walkway. I plopped my chair down right there in the garden and Alyssa said it was funny to see me sitting in the garden (she was nearby though not in the garden). When I planned for the opening in the garden, it was not with the intent that I'd sit in it but... needs must when it's cool but the sun is shining. Alyssa and I relaxed for a while outside, reading.

Got yummy drink (half peach tea and half diet coke- sounds odd but it wassoooo good!) & a non fiction book and fiction book on my Kindle

...and a tomato plant on my left!

We relaxed for the entire rest of the day. It was so nice for Donnie to have a day of no work and no prep for having people over!! He's a work trooper (this was his first week day off of the entire year, I think) and he always does so much when we have plans to have people over. This weekend marked the third one in a row that we've hosted an event. We don't mind doing that- it's partly why we did the patio project in the first place. We wanted to have a space to host meals with family and friends. However, it's also nice to not have to do anything for a day!

Abby and I went for a walk into town to move some and enjoy the beautiful weather. It made it to the mid sixties and was sunny. It will be hot and humid before we know it. Have to appreciate the beautiful weather days.