All Manner of Pressing Issues

Richard and I are the proud new owners of this Maytag EPIC z front loading washer and dryer. I have been doing laundry all day long–not so much because we needed every article of clothing in the house clean today, but just because these appliances are so much fun to use! I love all of the settings and buttons. I have to confess I have wasted many minutes standing before these fine pieces of machinery and watching our clothes wash and dry through the windows. The washer and the dryer are both really quiet. On several occasions I have actually gone to check to make sure they were still running. That is a stark contrast to the washer/dryer we previously had. Everyone within a 1 mile radius knew it when we were doing laundry! We are very thankful for our new setup!

I’m going to go see if by chance there is something else I can wash!

I have knitted two of the cozies so far. They work up quickly! I think I am off to make another hat, but I have several other projects rolling around in my mind!

I am working on this cozy pattern. It’s working up pretty quickly, so hopefully I’ll have a finished product to share with you soon! My ribbing isn’t perfect on this one, but next time I’ll have the hang of it.

Not long ago I got an email from one of my uncles telling me about a visit he and my aunt made to see my cousin and his family in Kansas City. This prompted me to think about a trip I took there a couple of years ago by myself.

That little 2 day trip meant a lot for me as a 20-something single girl. I planned the trip by myself and I don’t think I even told anyone I was going until I had it all planned. I know for a fact I didn’t even tell my parents I was going, but they called while I was there and wanted to drop something off at my apartment, so I kind of had to tell them where I was. They were of course fine with it—I just didn’t want my dad to worry about me being by myself.

Anyway. So before I drove to KC I had done a little research to see what all was there and what types of things I would want to do. I planned to do a little shopping and to take in a couple of museums. I thought about a Royals game, but they weren’t playing. So, I went to several museums, Union Station, did a little shopping, read a book, and did some writing. I also went to sit-down restaurants alone and went for a run in the park. I did exactly what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it. It was fabulous.

I have always (insert Mom’s head nod here) been a very independent person, but as a newly single 20-something this trip really reaffirmed my self-confidence and helped me understand even more about who I am and what I like. It’s hard to adequately explain in words. I have thought about this trip more times than I can count and have patted myself on the back for going–not just for going but for enjoying myself. I have a map in the pocket on my car door of KC from my trip and even 2 years later I can’t bring myself to remove it.

If you’re in a position to go on a little venture like this independently, I really encourage you to do so. It doesn’t have to be 4 hours away and an overnight stay. Just take some time for you–even if that’s in your own house… to learn more about yourself and what you like to do and then begin to invest in those interests or activities. Friends and family are very important and I am not suggesting that you should completely isolate yourself from people all the time, but when we know who we are and what we’re about I really believe we can serve our friends and family better.

Here are some pictures from what was for me, a monumental trip.

Earlier in the week I went to Heber Springs, AR trout fishing with my family. The river there is absolutely beautiful and the temperatures were FABULOUS! We had a great time together and caught our limit of Rainbow Trout each day! When I was a child, we spent a lot of time on the river in Murfreesboro, AR trout fishing, so it was fun to be together trout fishing again. I think I did a lot more fishing this time than I did as a child! I remember doing a lot of “exploring” in my earlier days instead of fishing.

I have been curious about how my herbs are growing. It’s hard to tell since I see them every day! I have really enjoyed having them and watching them grow. A friend warned me that the mint would get “leggy” and she was right! I originally posted about my herb “garden” on May 25 here. Those pictures are on the left and the current pictures are on the right. The lavender isn’t blooming yet, but I am trying to be patient! I need to mix some sand into the soil.

Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Sweet Basil,
Cilantro, Chives

Mint

Rosemary

Lavender