What's Up Wednesday, September 2025 Edition

 

Well, I suppose if you're only going to post once a month, a What's Up Wednesday post is the way to go; it provides all the pertinent information with none of the duplication.

That's my justification for being a complete and total slacker in this space. Other than the fact that my life is really quite boring, that is.

Anyhoodle, thanks to Sheaffer and Shay for giving me one lone reason to dust off the keyboard.

What I've Been Eating

The month started off with warm temperatures, so I spent a lot of evenings eating dinner on the porch, and lunches on the porch at Not So New Job. As it has gotten cooler, I'm spending less and less time on the porch and more time in the kitchen, which is fairly normal for me. I brought my sourdough starter, Doughlores, out of hibernation and made bagels, which were possibly the best batch I've made, to date. I also had a couple of restaurant meals with the family, so it's been a pretty good month, as far as delicious food goes.

What I'm Loving

This was the final month of my flower subscription and I would be remiss if I didn't share. Weekly bouquets have been a highlight of my summer and I definitely plan to sign up again next year.

           

 

What I'm Reminiscing About

This is less about what I'm reminiscing about and more about stories that Oscar has shared with us recently; stories about him and his lifelong best friend, Ira, who sadly passed away recently.

Ira's widow, Shelly, made a cross-country trip with Ira's ashes, stopping to visit with us this month. She was accompanied by one of her longtime friends, whom we were delighted to meet. Shelly is moving from North Carolina to California, where she will be living with one of her best friends, who is also recently widowed.

Shelly's visit was good for Oscar's soul, and he now has a small portion of Ira's ashes. The rainbow that appeared in the sky as Shelly and Oscar reminisced about old times seemed to indicate that Ira was happy about it, too.

What I've Been Up To

The local community theater kicked off the new season with a production of What a Spot, and Mom and I were front and center for the show. It's a musical that I had not previously heard of, and it was amazing, funny, and extremely well-produced. As always.

 

I also made the bagels that I mentioned earlier. Once you have homemade bagels, the store-bought ones just don't hit the same. I also find the process to be rather therapeutic.

 

What I'm Working On

I've had numerous projects underway at Not So New Job, including working on our reaccreditation application, creating documentation for grant monitoring, and hosting an open house to celebrate our twentieth anniversary in service.

When I'm not at the job that pays me, I'm in the garden, where I harvested what I'm thinking will be the next-to-last of the vegetables. Hugh offered the use of his dehydrator, so I tried my hand at drying mint; it turned out well and I am planning to run my thyme, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves through it as well.

What I'm Excited About

I'm not overly excited about anything at the moment, nor am I...

...Dreading anything.

What I'm Reading

I pivoted away from the Romantasy genre and into Cowboy Smut. I'm not mad about it.

 

 What I'm Watching

Queen B insisted that I blow the dust off the remote control and watch a couple of documentaries. Thirst Trap is about a TikTok "influencer" who I vaguely recalled from the early days of the app. I always thought the kid was a tool, and that the middle-aged women who shared and dueted his videos were unhinged, and now I know for certain that I was right. The cringe factor watching this one was at a solid 10.

Unknown Number: The High School Catfish was equally cringe-worthy, but in a very different way. I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but suffice it to say: some people are truly unhinged. 

What I'm Listening To

At the moment, I am listening to the white noise coming from the space heater under my desk; the weather in Hooterville is unseasonably chilly today, and I needed the extra heat.

What I'm Wearing

'Tis the beginning of the layering season! I leave the house with a minimum of two layers, shuck one off sometime during the day, and then tug it back on before I leave work to head home. Wash, rinse, repeat.

What I'm Doing This Weekend

I am planning to finally decorate the house for Halloween. If you know me in real life, you know that I am super tardy in this endeavor; I should have had the house done weeks ago. Life sort of got in the way, as did a general feeling of lethargy and ennui. Both of which are unusual for me this time of year. I really need to get my shit together.

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month

I am looking forward to having some time off with Queen B, who will be spending several days with us. I'm also looking forward to my nephew's wedding, and to the festivities that surround my favorite time of the year.

Favorite Purchase This Month

I have recently become enamored with vintage Hen on a Nest candy dishes and salt cellars. My collection is growing, and I love it for no real purpose save for the look on Hugh's face every time I bring home one of my new ladies.

Really, Chelle? Really?

Yes, Hugh, really.

What's Up Wednesday, August 2025 Edition

 

We are on the cusp of autumn and, while I often wish for time to slow down, I can't deny that the onset of my favorite season makes me more than a bit giddy.

Many thanks to Sheaffer and Shay for the writing prompts again this month!

What I've Been Eating

I have been eating so well! I've cooked more recently than I had in months, and, more often than not, those meals have included something from my garden, whether it be green beans, beets, carrots, cucumbers, or tomatoes (So. Many. Tomatoes). 

           

        

            

                                                       

What I'm Loving

I'm still loving the flowers from my bouquet subscription from the local flower farm! Each bouquet has been unique, and the flowers last for several weeks, which means I generally have an arrangement in the kitchen, as well as one on the table on the porch.

           

What I'm Reminiscing About

Schools are back in session here in our neck of the woods. I've seen numerous Facebook posts from parents a bit younger than me, bemoaning their newly empty nests, and I am reminded of the two times that we dropped our kids off at college for the first time. The trauma was real, and I have nothing but empathy for those parents.

What I've Been Up To

I had one nice dinner out with this guy this month, right before he abandoned me for a two-week fire deployment. I weathered Fireman widowhood every bit as well as I weathered Wrestling Official widowhood for the past twenty years, so it was fine. It is nice to have him back, though.

While awaiting the return of my other half, I  spent more time on the porch. I went through a ton of ice and iced tea, so much so, I just started keeping the ice machine on the bar cart and a pitcher of tea in the mini fridge.

Guinness missed Hugh almost more than I did, and he showed his displeasure by attaching himself to my hip pretty much every time I sat down.

The day that Hugh was due to return, I had the opportunity to host Mom and one of her best friends from High School on the porch. Miss Darla was in town to see Mom for the weekend, and it was fun watching them catch up.

What I've Been Working On

I've been working on my garden harvests! It seems like there are new vegetables and herbs ready for harvest every time I open the gate and wander around the raised beds. It's a labor of love, and I have no complaints about it.

I have an overabundance of herbs, and have been working on drying bundles of thyme, oregano, and rosemary for the winter.

I mentioned earlier that I have been eating a lot of tomatoes, which have been plentiful in the garden. This weekend, I roasted a bunch of them along with some of the peppers I grew, an onion, and some garlic. Then I blended it all into a pasta sauce that Hugh and I had with Italian sausage. I was quite proud of myself. 

What I'm Excited About

Queen B has already booked her holiday PTO dates on her company calendar, and we are going to be seeing a lot of her! I am especially excited to have her home for an extended period in October, when we will be attending my nephew's wedding.

What I'm Dreading 

Nothing at the moment!

What I'm Reading

I am still on a streak, and am still mostly enjoying the fantasy genre.

What I'm Watching

I'm still basically boycotting television. Instead, I'm watching the original Nature Channel. The Hummingbird show is my favorite.

What I'm Listening To

The hummingbirds aren't just fun to watch, they're also really cool to listen to. 

What I'm Wearing

I feel like I never have a great answer to this question. The most comfortable outfit I own right now is a pair of linen pants that I wear with a black tank top and some strappy sandals. It's comfy and fashionable.

What I'm Doing This Weekend

The fact that this is Labor Day weekend really came as a surprise to me when my office manager reminded me that she would need timesheets a day early in order to have payroll done before the holiday. So, Hugh and I made no plans. I am also on call, so it isn't like we can go out of cell phone reach, so it looks like a quiet weekend at home. Although Kristi is in town and we have been talking about doing a wine and chocolate pairing for a while now, so maybe we will pull that off.

 

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month

The beginning of the months that end in BER! So excited for the fall!

Favorite Purchase This Month

It's a tie between this sweatshirt and this glass tumbler. I love them equally.