3 Day Weekends Confuse Me

Saturday's stunning sunset.

It seems like I've already completely forgotten the weekend!  We were offered a couple tickets on Saturday for a storytelling festival that we had to decline.  We were grateful for the offer, though and hope the summer colds leave our loved ones really soon!

"Color" up the canyon

The stucco work is progressing, albeit slowly because of those blasted steps.  But those blasted steps have finally been blasted to smithereens.  The mess will be carted off soon and the stucco repair will progress.  As often happens, one thing leads to another:  we have to buy new outdoor lights.  They've been ordered (twice because we apparently don't really know how to count) and I'm really hoping they'll be great.  They're not metal, a newer material that is supposed to stand up to the weather really well and won't be sending drips of rust down the side of the house.

Fun birthday gift.

Just the right size.

Decided rather impromptu to drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon to see the early fall colors.  It was lovely - in the 60's with just a bit of a breeze and was a delightful day for a drive.  (The one picture of "color" I'll post was taken through the window as the car was hurtling down the road - it turned out ok in spite of that.) Had a (rare) hankering on the way home for a root beer, so we stopped by Hires Big H. Enjoyed our drinks and were ready to go when the server brought us over three to-go cups of root beer on the house. I'm still puzzling over the reason, but I didn't question her, just thankfully received her gift and enjoyed my soda.  (I like their soda because it's light on the carbonation - I'm not big on bubbles in my drink.)

Free drink!

And I've been celebrating my age for more than a day already. I've received such thoughtful gifts: a just-right-size backpack to replace the one that I've about worn out, and a hat to replace the one that got eaten by the ocean. A couple new insulated glasses (my favorites) so I have enough to last between dishwasher cycles. Boxes of notecards and a TIVO for my sewing room and a re-stock of my chocolate supply.  I have a lunch invitation for tomorrow, and after dinner an invitation to ice cream with some new friends from the new ward.

I've been working on this post for several hours - I keep answering the door to a hug from a sweet soul who wanted me to feel important. I feel fortunate.

I'm grateful today for those who are so very kind to me - I surely don't deserve all that goodness.  I'm grateful for the hope of ice cream in my very near future.  I'm grateful that I don't have to cook tonight.  I'm grateful for texts from daughters and granddaughters.  And for hugs.