Weekend Snaps: The Calm Before the Storm

I find myself sitting in our porch tonight under two of the most unlikely scenarios:

1. The window is open on this crazy beautiful – warm! – March evening.
2. I am all by myself. Well, not counting Earl the pug, who is snoring at my feet. But there is no Teacher Man or Joe Man here tonight.

This rarely happens. I can’t remember the last time I had the house all to myself like this. 

Which is why I’m taking full advantage, lounging in my PJs, enjoying my glass of wine, painting my toenails, watching a cheesy movie on the Hallmark Channel, and fretting about what to pack for the upcoming week.

I’ll be taking off for Saint Paul on Monday to work our annual convention for the poultry industry. It’s our biggest week of the year at work and I always look forward to – although it means long hours on my feet (hello comfortable shoes!) and a certain amount of stress. Those things are minor nuisances though; what counts is seeing so many of my friends in the industry.

Still, it’s a weird time of year in Minnesota so that’s why I have trouble packing. I want to pack for spring, but it’s not quite there yet. I’m sick of winter and dark colors, though, so there’s that. 

I realize, of course, that most people won’t really notice what I’m wearing. I actually dress just for me – to make me feel happy and confident and ready for the big week. So whether I wear my new salmon-orange sheath dress remains to be seen. I’ll check the forecast tomorrow and make a final decision tomorrow night when I spent an hour packing for the week.

In the meantime, a few snaps from my weekend so far:

Earl the Pug … judging from this expression, I’d say being 15 is tiresome for sure and involves back-to-back-to-back naps.

In my pre-Pinterest days (years and years ago!), I actually bought gardening and home style books to get new ideas for decorating and garden planning. I haven’t looked at these books for years – until today, when I was doing some organizing. All will be donated, as I decided I don’t need to keep them around anymore.

Proof that I can, upon occasion, take my Jeep to get a car wash. (Hint, hint, Teacher Man!) 🙂

I couldn’t resist this photo of Earl the Pug, after both Teacher Man and Joe Man left the house today. 

I’m looking at paint swatches – leaning toward some form of gray – for our family room. We’re going to re-do the wall color, move the TV to above the fireplace, and we’ve ordered a new sectional couch and chair. I can’t wait to see it all come together! We’ve had essentially the same setup for about 14 years in this room so it’s definitely time for a change!

 I won’t be blogging at all this week while I’m working, but I imagine I will catch up next week. Thanks for your patience, friends!

Lara