See WHAT?

I don't know how old these blinds in our house were, but the house was built in 1980, so potentially more than 40 years. The window it covered got more sun than the other windows, so that might have been part of the reason I couldn't get these things clean, no matter how many times I dropped them in a bathtub full of different kinds of cleaner.

Then Bob had a better idea.

A new window shade! A version that tolerates sunlight better, and can be pulled up and down with NO STRINGS!

Lovely.

Sometimes you just need to get something new.

What new thing have you gotten?

Princess Cart Birthday

Last Monday my birthday was on the for-real-and-for-true Memorial Day holiday, which occurs once every 7 years or so (depending on Leap Year.)

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR KIND BIRTHDAY WISHES! I LOVE THEM!

Here I am in WalMart's Princess cart, only seen in the Washington WalMart as far as I know. Sometimes when I sit on the seat to wait for Carolyn to use the restroom, she'll come out and push me around the store for a few yards.

As the real princess, she prefers to be pushed around, which is good for my have-to-shop workout anyway, especially since this cart is heavy and long, like a BUS!

But we do what we do to have fun, right?

Simple pleasures are the best!

Popular Green Soup

When we had a potluck dinner at our church, a few of us were asked to bring soup. Before I could even decide what I would make, a lady I've known for four years said to me, "You've got to bring your green soup!"

I don't know why the soup looks yellow...perhaps it's the yellow bowl I put it in to show how little soup was left from that great big crockpot! (But the bowl makes it look like a lot of soup leftover...I'm not the best size estimator girl, nor the best photographer, apparently.)

If you like broccoli, zucchini, onions, and garlic, then you might like green soup.

RECIPE:

Saute 1 large onion and 2 cloves finely chopped garlic in 1 TBSP butter, olive oil, or vegetable stock.

Simmer 3 medium sliced zucchini and 2 heads chopped broccoli in 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock.

When tender, stir both pans of ingredients together and add salt and pepper to taste.

Blend mixture in batches until you have smooth green soup.

Return the saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 3/4 cup cream (or coconut cream) and 3 TBSP pesto.

Add additional pest to individual serving bowls as desired.

Do you like soup?

What's your favorite?

Grow So Fast

This week is my oldest son's birthday, my little boy Andy who's suddenly, unexplainably big enough to turn into a makeshift house for his youngest child, who also happens to have a birthday this month. 

Hey, it's 3rd generational, because it's my birthday in May, too!

Make that fourth generational, since Andy's grandma's birthday happens to be only two days after his.

It's also my uncle's...my aunt's...my daughter-in-law's...my nephew's...my cousin's...my great nephew's...my dear departed daddy's birthday, too...

SO HAPPY ALL MAY BIRTHDAYS!

Are you a spring baby?

When's YOUR oh-so-happy birthday?

Eat a Cloud

Do you like fluffy white clouds? Do you see shapes in them, like teddy bears, race cars or grumpy old men?

Do you see shapes in this cloud picture?

There is a shape there...it's called a "Boba Cloud."

It came from "The Orange Peel" restaurant that sells bubble tea. (Thanks, Bethany McGarry, for introducing me to those things.) Carolyn likes the tea (smoothie) WITHOUT the tapioca "bobas," so I just make her chocolate peanut butter smoothies at home.

The cloud looked like so much fun that I got one, but it turned out that neither Carolyn nor I wanted to eat it!

So we played with it instead.

I have never understood why people tell other people not to play with their food. Why not? It's interesting!

Do you like cotton candy?

Do you like to play with your food?

Mother and Son

Robert (as his mother always calls him, while everyday people tend to call him "Bob") is showing his mom some videos on his phone.

This picture resonates with me because:

1. I am also a mother of sons (Six Best Boys Ever!)

~ and ~

2. These are two of my favorite people. (Mother-in-law jokes do not apply.) Ann is a wonderful lady who loves me, and I love her.

I posted it because even though Robert doesn't particularly like me to broadcast his birthday, (I won't give the exact date, but Facebook might) he and his mom both have birthdays this lovely month of May. I also don't know if Ann minds if I mention how old she'll be...so I won't! It's an impressive age, though, and she still lives in her own home.

Happy, Happy Birthday, to mother and son!

Do you share your birthday month with someone you know?

Edible First Aid

I was so surprised to see this in the store.

 I've had peanut butter and honey sandwiches in my lifetime, but never used it as medicine. When I researched on the all-knowing Internet, I found a couple of articles that state honey is good for your outsides AND insides. (Just don't eat the bandages.) 

However, it's NOT good for your insides if you're an infant, but if you were an infant, you wouldn't likely be reading this now, would you?

Interestingly enough, on the other end of life, honey is an ancient embalming ingredient.

See the articles here and here.

Do you like honey?