A Simple Woman's Daybook

Thanks to Peggy at The Simple Woman for starting the daybook. For more entries, or to join, go here.


For Today: Monday, February 9, 2009

Outside My Window... Dark navy blue sky with the solitary orange glow from a nearby school's parking lot light. I was almost giddy yesterday by the warmer weather, which melted almost all of the snow. I never thought I'd be so happy to see grass - even tired-looking brown grass!

I am thinking... my weekend was not as productive as I would have liked. I had plans to do more research on finding a new web hosting service, investigate WordPress, do some digital scrapbooking. Alas, none of it occurred. My computer had "issues" on Saturday which required the assistance of Mickey.

I am thankful for... My husband who is very computer literate! Saturday made me realize just how much my life has been shaped by a computer.

From the kitchen... Just baked a batch of Ginger-Pecan Oatmeal cookies for a nice young man at work. He could have been difficult and not helped me with a certain project, but he was very helpful and saved me probably an hour's worth of time by resetting the server. Long story, but I have a heart for him. I told him I'd bake some cookies and finally did! A bowl of honey-oat cereal for me and coffee with Italian Sweet Cream. Later tonight, I'm going to try to make Oven-Baked Pecan-Crusted Chicken Fingers with Honey-Mustard Dip and mixed vegetables for dinner.

I am wearing... my pink cotton, long-sleeved nightgown and green bathrobe with slippers. Very glad I don't feel the arctic air this morning.

I am creating... A new digital scrapbook page. Yes, I am intent upon finally creating a new page this week! I must! I taught a digital scrapbooking class this past Thursday and have the next one this Thursday. I need to really press forward to explore the program Serif sent me, (Digital Scrapbook Artist) which is just an amazing program. I really feel they give Adobe PhotoShop Elements a run for their money! (and for a lot less money, too.) Now this weekend, I did also create my first batch of homemade laundry soap! (I used Recipe #4 and added 1/4 cup of OxyClean) I love it! It ends up being around .05 a load. Economical and the clothes smell nice and fresh! The bar of Fels-Naptha soap was large, so it only took half of it grated to make 2 cups.

I am going... to try to catch up this week on some of the tasks I didn't complete over the weekend. The one area I want to explore is WordPress. I'm thinking of switching my blog to WordPress but need to do some more research.

I am reading... Eclipse by Stephanie Meyers, and Ayn Rand's Anthem on my iPhone through the eBook program, Stanza. Also trying to read Getting Things Done by David Allen. Anthem is really getting to me. It's a story set in the future where there is no individuality, only the collective. Ayn Rand grew up in the Communist U.S.S.R., so she knows the dangers of sacrificing independence for "the greater good." The story is riveting.

I am hoping... my 90-day review goes well, which will happen this week. I feel pretty good about the job but admit I really don't like to "rate" myself. I have an idea of my capabilities but yet I don't like to say it out loud. Perhaps it's the "polite" Midwestern way I was raised, but it seems like it's bragging on oneself to say to others what you do well. And here I am, working in marketing, no less. (ha!)

I am hearing... some low sound outside, almost like an alarm, but not quite. The soft whirl of the computer. Nothing else.

Around the house... jeans drying from being washed. Garbage that needs to be taken out. A box of ashes from our fireplace which we now know we shouldn't use again. The fireplace has a crack in it and I'm wondering if they leasing company will really fix it.

One of my favorite things... smelling something good baking in the oven early in the morning. MMmmm!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Still need to re-join the swim club. I think we've seen the worst of the snow storms pass. (keeping fingers crossed!) My work review and a projects at work to do, the digital scrapbooking class. I think I'll wait until the following week to see if there are any networking events I could attend. I need to do this for my job but prefer the events to happen during the day instead of after-hours. "24" is tonight and I think I'll stay up to watch it. I'm more impressed with the President than I thought I'd be. She has some backbone!

Here is picture thought I am sharing... Another photo from a few years ago. I caught the tail end of this happy little sunflower's bloom. Isn't it pretty against the cheerful light blue of the sky? :-)