When I planted the garden this spring, I never thought that the cucumber harvest would be quite as plentiful as it has turned out to be. This has been a great thing, according to Hugh, who has enjoyed his favorite creamy cucumber salad on multiple occasions this year. I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating; I do not like raw cucumbers. I do, however, like a cucumber once it has been wrestled into submission in a good pickling brine, hence my decision to turn my bumper crop into pickles this past Sunday.
Wife, mother of two, recovering Diet Pepsi addict and collector of OPI nailpolish....oh, and I really do want world peace.
Thursday, September 28, 2023
We Got Ourselves Into Quite the Pickle
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
What's Up Wednesday, September 2023 Edition
It's finally fall, y'all! We are entering my favorite months of the year and I am here for it! But, first, let's get to What's Up Wednesday, hosted by Sheaffer and Shay.
What We're Eating
Recently, I had the world's best donuts, baked with love by the Mennonite community just down the road from Petticoat Junction.
What I'm Reminiscing About
It's Homecoming season here in Petticoat Junction and I can't help but reminisce about the years that Queen B and the Man-Cub were in high school; those were some fun years. Coincidentally, this Friday, I will be hosting Porch Night for the Old School Booster Moms; we haven't all been together since the last of the kids graduated and it is high time that we get the band back together.
What I'm Loving
The golf lessons that I signed myself, my staff, and the Daughter-in-Love up for came to an end this month. Our last session was spent playing several holes on the course. The Daughter-in-Love and I shared a cart and I can see us doing that a lot in the future.
What I've Been Up To
My favorite antique market took place last weekend and it was the best show yet. I found several fun treasures, ate the donuts I talked about earlier, and got to spend the morning with Hugh, Mom, and Kristi. I was a great way to spend the first official day of fall.
What I'm Working On
I am currently sorting through the hundreds of photos taken by our volunteer event photographer at this month's Barn Dance fundraiser. Once I get them culled, I need to get them posted to our organization's website , as well as adding them to the thank-you posts to our sponsors on our social media channels.
What I'm Dreading
Next month is both quarterly reporting month and budget drafting month. I don't love either of those things.
What I'm Excited About
Hugh got our old rowboat painted for a photo shoot that I am going to do with the Man-Cub and the Daughter-in-Love ; it looks great! Now, I'm just waiting for the trees to change color in the park where we will be doing the shoot. This excites me more than you know.
What I'm Watching
Kristi is staying with us while she waits for her spousal Visa to be approved by the UK. She made the mistake of telling me that she had no idea who Ichabod Crane was, so I made her sit through The Legend of Sleepy Hollow so she would understand the references I kept making to Ichabod and the Headless Horseman. I hadn't seen the show in years, so it was fun for me, too.
What I'm Listening To
The Office is playing in the background as I type this. That seems to be a theme when I write these posts, lately.
What I'm Reading
I grabbed a copy of Country Living magazine at the grocery store today, and I'm already halfway through the articles. This is the best that I can manage for pleasure reading right now, but I'm not complaining.
What I'm Wearing
I am wearing the usual business casual uniform for work, which isn't very exciting, I know. I did, however, wear the cute green dress that I got for Mia's wedding and I loved it.
What I'm Doing This Weekend
The apple pie contest that mom is entering is this Saturday. Hugh usually judges the contest, but, this year he will be at EMT class, so he isn't able to participate. This is probably a good thing; we don't want anyone to claim favoritism when Mom wins, now, do we?
What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month
All. Things. HALLOWEEN!!! I can't wait!
Favorite Amazon Find This Month
I purchased this vest for both Hugh and the Man-Cub for the Barn Dance. The quality was really great and the price was right. The guys looked handsome and will be able to wear the vests for future events. Win-win.
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Stories For Another Day
Where to begin?
How about with the Barn Dance, which took place over a week ago, now? Why has it taken me so long to write about it? Several reasons, the most important of which is the fact that I didn't have the pictures back from the event photographer before now. This is the first year that we've had an event photographer (who wasn't me), and I'm not complaining, at all; I'm just used to having the images immediately. Don't worry, I'll get over that because it was really nice not to be responsible for that aspect of the event in addition to all my other duties.
Anyhoodle, The Barn Dance itself was both wildly successful and a huge shit-show. We thought we were ahead of the game when we set up for the event a full day early, but, Mother Nature was like "Not so fast", and she sent up a rainstorm that had us scrambling to move the entire event under the cover of the arena with less than two hours to spare before the event began. We managed it, and, our guests loved it, but what a complete pain in the ass (and, every other muscle, joint, bit of skin tissue, etc.).
The experience did teach us that the arena is a perfectly reasonable location for the event moving forward, so that is what we intend to do from here-on-out.
One of my favorite parts of the event was having the Man-Cub and the Daughter-in-Love on hand to help with serving dinner. They looked adorable in their saloon-wear and seemed to be having a really good time. Shanti even had Hugh and the Cub arrested by the Sheriff; they spent a hot minute in the jail before they managed to raise enough money to bail them out.

In the other story for another day; Kristi is still here with us in Petticoat Junction, awaiting her official UK Visa. This is a true example of "best laid plans often going awry". Erin flew out on the 18th, as her work Visa was a breeze to acquire, thanks to the fact that she has a job waiting for her in Wales. Kristi's spousal Visa required more information and time, and, despite requesting an expedited review; she is in a holding pattern.
Since the girls already had renters moving into their house, Kristi has been staying with us and is, of course, welcome for as long as it takes, but both girls are getting anxious to have her in the UK.
Erin traveled with their two dogs and has since managed to purchase a car, find a salon in which to get her eyebrows threaded, and made fast friends with the owners of the Airbnb that she is staying in, but she is feeling isolated and ready for Kristi to get there already. I feel for her. That being said, I'm going to enjoy every last minute of the time that I get to spend with Kristi.
I'm going to miss my friends and am looking forward to visiting their new home really soon. But, we'll let that be a story for another day.
Monday, September 25, 2023
Saturday at The Pea
Saturday morning, Hugh, Mom, Kristi, and I headed out to Pea Green for the fall edition of Pickin' at the Pea. Longtime readers here know how much Kristi and I enjoy this particular antique market, and, may be interested to note that, at this point, Mom and Hugh are also becoming big fans.