A Fresh Cup of Coffee: May 2025

Saturday, May 31, 2025

Share Four Somethings - May 2025

Hey, it's the last day of May already - how did that happen? At the end of each month, I participate in Share Four Somethings, where we're invited to share things in these categories: Some Things I Loved, Some Things I Learned, Some Things That Went Well, and Some Thing I Let Go Of. I usually like to include a little bit of a bonus: Some Things I Read and a little of What's Coming Up Soon.

Some Things I Loved:

All the weekend adventures! The work weeks are kind of the same thing over and over, but we make an effort to do at least one interesting outing each weekend. We had good weather every weekend in May and each weekend included seeing family too. A few years ago my husband and I came up with a plan to do what we called Super Saturdays at least twice a month, and the tradition is back. We're on track for a weekly Super Saturday or Super Sunday!

Super Sunday #1: Franklin Conservatory

Super Saturday #2: Charleston Falls Preserve for Mothers Day weekend

Super Saturday #3 - Taylor Farm Park

Super Saturday and Super Sunday #4 (and Bonus Super Monday) in Maryland for the Memorial Day weekend:

Super Saturday #5 is today and we're headed to Westcott House.

Some Things I Learned:

I have had to learn a whole different accounting platform at work and it hasn't been fun. The entire Keystone system was migrated from the platform everyone was used to onto a new platform at the beginning of the month, and despite the training done ahead of time . . . most of what I learned was through trial and error and a fair amount of frustration. After a month, I guess we're adjusted okay but there are still things I can't figure out and in general we feel like there is nothing faster, easier, or better about the new system. Oh well. No one asked us.

Something more fun that I learned about was Lustron Homes. Awhile ago my husband watched a documentary type show about some American architecture trends, and I watched the bit about Lustron Homes with him. Thought it was pretty interesting and then thought nothing more of it. Until we were leaving the playground in Tipp City and I spotted a Lustron Home right there in the neighborhood. We pulled over to get a better look (hopefully without freaking the owners out) and then did some googling and discussed what we found on part of the ride home. Our son and his wife and daughter were with us, so we were learning about these clever fabricated houses together. And I found out they were manufactured right here in Columbus!

Some Things That Went Well:

Finding a new dentist. I'm really pleased with the dentist office that I'm going to now. It's right next door to my work, so it's super convenient and I don't have to be fussy about appointment times. I just take whatever time they have available and that's when my lunch break is that day. They are really nice and very efficient. My first visit was because I had a filling break out of a tooth, and my expectation was that they'd maybe polish the rough edge and assess it and then make an appointment for a couple weeks out to do whatever repair we decided on. Nope! They looked at it and gave me info about my options, and when I chose to go the root canal and crown route, they immediately did the root canal and put on a temporary crown. What?! Done within an hour.

Some Things I Let Go Of:

Most of the things aren't gone YET, but I've got a bunch of things set aside to give away in the local Buy Nothing group. We didn't have enough time when we were back in Maryland over the weekend to sort any stuff, but I tossed a few things and brought back some stuff of mine the kids had set aside while they were cleaning and I'll finish sorting it here. I won't let go of all of it, but a fair amount. Check in with me next month to make sure I actually did it!

I'm basically letting go of some blogging expectations of myself - one is that I'll remember and take time to do a monthly Word of the Year and Goals update on my blog. I have one mostly done for May and considered adding it to this post, but it would make it too long, so it will be a separate post but probably not linked up anywhere, which means it will be mostly for me. Which most of my blog efforts are anyway, right?

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Some Things I Read:

Finished and reviewed these since my last SFS:

Black Fog by KT McWilliams

The Wedding Gift by Connilyn Cossette

Finished but not yet reviewed:

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

Here are the books I'm currently reading:

The Blind Scribe by Connilyn Cossette

Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery

All of my reading news is at Just A Second if you're interested.

What's Coming Up Soon?

I'm finally getting the dental implant done! First appointment for that procedure is this week. I'm not excited about spending even more money on it because it's not covered by insurance, but I've spent so much already that I'm getting it done.

Also this week we are going to the Clippers baseball game and SVC will be singing the anthem.

I can't think of anything else newsworthy on the calendar in the next week or two.

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Share something in the comments, or share four somethings with the rest of us in the link party!

This post will be linked at My Joyful Life in the Share Four Somethings link party.

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Thursday, May 29, 2025

Monthly Musings - Ready For Summer

Holly at Pink Lady and Patty at Good Better Best co-host this monthly sharing of tips, tricks, and conversation starters. It's been a minute since I did one of these and I don't think I have interesting answers for about half of these questions . . . but I told myself I was going to jump back in for the May edition so here I am!

1. What are you looking forward to most this summer?

Right now I'm most looking forward to getting together with all the kids for our family vacation home getaway. We did it for the first time last summer and everyone had a good time (as far as I know!) and we're hoping to do something like this regularly. We decided to rent an Airbnb vacation house where we can all meet and that has plenty of room for all of us to be together. This summer we have a house near Deep Creek, Maryland for a long weekend.

Photos from family vacation 2024:

2. Any favorite summer traditions?

It's a little too early to call the vacation home get-together a tradition at this point, but I hope it will become one. Fireworks for July 4th are a long-standing tradition, of course. Lots of little things like going out for ice cream, and going to local carnivals and festivals. We have a pool at the apartment so that has been a recent tradition, I think. Outdoor concerts and movies when we get the chance.

3. Any summer travel plans?

At this point the only firm plans we have are for the Deep Creek weekend, which is the first weekend in August. We have unconfirmed plans to go to Maryland and visit the kids a couple other times, but haven't settled those dates or booked the time off from work yet. I have one less week of PTO than my husband, and I've already used one of my weeks, so getting time away from work could be a challenge for me.

4. How do you red, white, and blue?

Fireworks, I guess? I love fireworks. I do some summer decorating with red, white, and blue. I'm very patriotic, but I'm having trouble answering this question! I'll be singing the national anthem with the chorus at the local baseball game next week - does that count as doing red, white, and blue?

5. Beach, lake, or pool?

For me, it's the pool. I don't care for swimming in a lake or in the ocean, and while I enjoy being at the beach I'm not one of those people that craves the beach time. I also like the pool because it's a one-minute walk from the house and I don't have to pack in and out. No sand to deal with! I can go every day if I want, instead of waiting for a long weekend. I'm determined to enjoy it as often as I can this summer, since we're hoping to move next year.

6. Favorite summer sweet treat?

Ice cream! I'd have ice cream every day if I could.

7. Favorite sunscreens and self tanners?

I don't use sunscreen and seldom use self tanner, so I don't really have any favorites here. My sun protection consists of my sunglasses and a hat.

8. Best flip flops or sandals?

I used to wear flip flops all the time, as in all year round! I prefer them to sandals, but I can't wear them if I'm going to be walking a lot. I have a couple pair of flip flops with memory gel soles and that offer a bit more arch support so those are the ones I go with. I have a pair of Vionic sandals I got a couple years ago that are surprisingly comfortable, but I'm kind of on the lookout for a new pair of quality summer footwear that will be good for my feet.

9. How are you staying fit this summer?

Well, I guess I need a better plan because I should get more fit than I am currently! We're planning to make use of the pool as often as possible, though I don't swim laps or anything like that. Walking and hiking are my main exercise and we'll be doing that more often now that we have longer and warmer days.

10. Favorite summer themed movies?

The final question is where I'll bow out, because I'm not much of a movie watcher, so nothing is coming to mind at the moment. There are a couple of places that show free outdoor movies during the summer, so I'm hoping we can get to a couple of them, but I don't even know what's playing!

What are some things you're doing to kick off summer? Leave a comment and let me know!

I'm linking up with Monthly Musings hosted by Holly at Pink Lady and Patty at Good Better Best.

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Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Wednesday Hodgepodge - Late May Edition

A hodgepodge is a jumble or assortment of things that might not appear to belong together. Joyce at From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly link-up called Wednesday Hodgepodge that is a little collection of questions for bloggers to answer just for fun and to get to know each other. I always look forward to chatting with friends over coffee, so pour a cup of your favorite and let's visit for a few minutes!

Here are this week's questions - and my answers - for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1. What's your favorite room in your house and why?

I guess the dining room, because that's where we are together and where we most often gather when the kids are over. It's where we share meals and talk and play games. I like the furniture and enjoy changing out the table linens and a few decor items for the different seasons.

2. What's something that will instantly annoy you?

I could sound very easily irritated here, because there are quite a few things. I will pick just one though. Horrible drivers annoy me terribly. Specifically . . . there's a spot not far from here, a parking lot entrance where we almost always get gas, and it's VERY CLEARLY SIGNED that left turns out of that spot and left turns into that spot are not allowed. It's not easy to do either because there's a triangle median that means you have to do a slightly awkward maneuver around it. There are at least three signs. But people do it all the time and it annoys me far more than it really should. It's dangerous, and I've seen accidents there too, but I guess a large number of people still think they are special and entitled and those big No Left Turn signs don't apply to them.

3. May 28th is National Hamburger Day . . . will you celebrate? How do you like yours? If you're not cooking at home is there a favorite place you like to go for a burger? Did you ever work in a fast food restaurant?

I didn't plan burgers for today's dinner but they're on my menu plan for the weekend. Hopefully the weather will be better because I'd much rather do burgers on the grill than on the stovetop or under the broiler! I like my burger cooked medium well, preferably on the grill, and with cheese and bacon. I don't like a bunch of toppings - just mayo, ketchup, and mustard, maybe a pickle.

I'd say Burger King is probably my choice for low-priced fast food burgers, though Wendy's is where we go most often since it's the most convenient when we need to grab something at the drive-thru. I guess I don't get burgers at sit-down restaurants very often because I can't think of one that would be my favorite.

My first job when I was 15 was at a Wendy's restaurant. I worked there long enough to have done just about everything, except I never actually cooked the burgers! My favorite task was looking after the salad bar and dining room.

4. What are three scents you like?

Wow, how do I narrow it down to just three? I'm going with three of the candle or wax warmer scents I like best right now: coffee (who's surprised? LOL); cherry limeade, vanilla

5. What do you miss most about being a kid?

I miss having more energy than I knew what to do with, and I miss having lots of time to play and explore and daydream. I miss being so carefree. Those are things that you don't realize when you're a kid, only when you're older and look back. I miss my grandparents and the time spent with them.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

We went to Maryland for the long weekend and got to spend some time with the kids there. The time felt too short, but we were glad for the fun we had and the chance to strengthen those family ties and renew connections with some friends.

Despite planning ahead a bit, I still couldn't get my Hodgepodge ready to post this morning and also get the WQ link-up ready to share! The Wednesday Quotes link-up theme this time around is Telling Our Stories, and I hope you'll stop by and share a post with your stories and a quote or two. You can find it here: WQ - The Value of Our Stories

WQ - The Value of Our Stories

Everyone loves a good story. We're drawn into the actions and emotions of a story, and that helps us to connect to the information in it and remember it. A good story entertains, but it also shares something about life and about the characters in the story, and often about the person telling the story. Especially if the story is a personal one.

Storytelling sticks in the mind because it attaches emotions to events, and that's the way we remember things. If you don't tell stories, no one will remember what you say. ~Nick Morgan

The world is shaped by two things ― stories told and the memories they leave behind. ~Vera Nazarian

We can learn from stories because we remember them and can consider the events from different points of view, wonder or imagine what the people involved felt or thought, and think about what we might have done differently. When I tell someone a story about something in my life, they get to know me, and they can respond with a story from their life about a related or contrasting experience. We might be able to get the same information from a questionnaire or list of facts, but a story allows us to connect.

Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact. ~Robert McKee

To be a person is to have a story to tell. ~Isak Dinesen

We owe it to each other to tell stories. ~Neil Gaiman

I think it's really important to tell our stories to the next generations. I've lived in times that my kids aren't familiar with, just as my parents and my grandparents experienced things that I haven't experienced. Their stories, and the stories of the generations before them shaped me, in a way, and shape the generations to come. Again, I can read in a history textbook about the countries my great-grandparents emigrated from or about the historical events they witnessed, but that doesn't affect me in the same way as hearing or reading the first-hand accounts of people connected to me passed down. Take the time to listen to the stories of someone who lived through the Great Depression, witnessed a historical event, or lived and worked in a time very different from our modern technologies. It will give you a new perspective on your own life and experiences, the things you take for granted and the things you might complain about. Share your stories with younger family members or with friends that come from different cultures or times or places.

Storytelling has always been at the heart of being human because it serves some of our most basic needs: passing along our traditions, confessing failings, healing wounds, engendering hope, strengthening our sense of community. ~Parker J. Palmer

Storytelling is the greatest activity of any culture. Storytelling is how you build a family, how you pass along identity. ~Randall Wallace

Share your story with someone. You never know how one sentence of your life story could inspire someone to rewrite their own. ~Demi Lovato

Stories are attempts to share our values and beliefs. Storytelling is worthwhile when it tells what we stand for. ~Simon Sinek

O my people, listen to my instructions.

Open your ears to what I am saying,

for I will speak to you in a parable.

I will teach you hidden lessons from our past―

stories we have heard and known,

stories our ancestors handed down to us.

We will not hide these truths from our children;

we will tell the next generation

about the glorious deeds of the LORD,

about his power and his mighty wonders.

~Psalm 78:1-4~

How are you telling your story? Leave a comment and let me know!

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Wednesday Quotes is a bi-weekly opportunity for bloggers to share their writing, poetry, photos, or stories inspired by our theme. We've chosen the themes as a starting point for your creativity, and the only requirement is that your post include at least one related quote. Feel free to combine or "double-dip" with other writing or photo challenges as well. Of course, we'd appreciate a link back to us, if you'd be so kind. Add your link and please visit others and leave a comment! The link is open for two weeks.

Thanks to Marsha at Always Write for introducing us to the Wednesday Quotes challenge, and for passing the hosting duties along so we can continue sharing great quotes! Wednesday Quotes is co-hosted by Kym at A Fresh Cup of Coffee and Sadje at Keep It Alive.

Quoting reminds me there are other people in the world besides only me.

And other thoughts besides mine, and other ways of thinking.

~Gregory Maguire~

Wednesday Quotes 2025 Themes

January 8 - Planning Ahead/Setting Goals

January 22 - Winter Sleep

February 5 - Love Inspires Us

February 19 - Staying Balanced

March 5 - First Impressions

March 19 - Looking After Yourself

April 2 - Competition

April 16 - Spring Colours

April 30 - Morning Routines

May 14 - Memorable Vacations

May 28 - Telling Your Stories

June 11 - Summer Fun

June 25 - Patriotism

July 9 - Hobbies

July 23 - Being Adventurous

August 6 - Spirituality

August 20 - Writing Letters

September 3 - Chocolate

September 17 - Making and Keeping Promises

October 1 - Autumn/Another Spring

October 15 - Daily Bread

October 29 - Night Skies/Stargazing

November 12 - Good Manners

November 26 - Celebrating Holidays

December 10 - Winter Wonderland

December 24 - Holiday Memories

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