Weekend Coffee Share......Come Sit with Me

Check out all the other posts on Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer. I'm off to go visit some now. #weekendcoffeeshare

Come have a cup of coffee on the deck of our air bnb on Orcas Island. I brought my little frother so I can make my normal coffee feel more special...lol. 

The Weather: We are currently on a long weekend to Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands for a long weekend. The weather today was beautiful though a bit overcast. We'll see what the next few days hold. We are on Puget Sound and when you're in a coastal area the weather is never really predictable. Back home the weather has been hot and dry. I'm not sure the last time we had rain. I think there is some in the forecast, but only for one day. 

What I'm thinking about: All that you need to think about after someone dies. No one tells you ahead of time (at least not in my case) the timelines, what needs to be done when, etc. sometimes it keeps me up at night because thats' when my brain starts to work overtime. I've been thinking about how we're going to use our new space once the other part of the house is done. I'm envisioning a hygge space. It's not a large space and the kitchen is the star, so I'm thinking a few sitting spots around the gas fireplace and for it to be the spot to read, rest, visit, etc. The TV, workout equipment, etc will stay where they currently are and that room will be more of a fun entertaining room. 

What I'm thankful for: I'm thankful for life itself but also the fact that we have worked hard (in a good way) to be where we are at in life today, and while we aren't quite where we want to be as far as having a good nest egg for retirement, etc, with all the things that have gone wonky the last few weeks, because of the way we've handled finances over the years we had an emergency fund to draw from. Thank you Dave Ramsey. Of course we never want to have to use it but it is there and we're glad. 

What I'm reading: I'm trying to catch up on blogs. I always feel bad when I can't visit everyone, especially those who take time to visit me and comment. It's not because I don't want to, life has just been a bit crazy the last few weeks, and that's been low on the priority list. So to those who I've missed, I'm so sorry! 

Around the House: Well....on the upside, we've ordered tile and we picked up paint and we've (well, our friend) has started painting. I'll hopefully have photos next week. We're on the hunt for sinks and fixtures....can I just say that there is some EXPENSIVE fixtures (as in faucets)..yikes. 

On the downside, the leak from our AC was pretty significant, so, first world problems, we've been without AC for about 2 weeks. Thankfully my hubby works for a restoration company. One of the guys came out, they tore out part of the wall because of mold that was behind it, (that we didn't know was there) and set up a unit..basically it sucks any moisture out of the space and dries it. This also makes the kitchen VERY hot. We filed a claim and will determine soon if our floors will need to be replaced. So things have been a little chaotic but we just go with the flow. What else are you going to do. 

What I'm learning, realizing or understanding:

From the Kitchen: Not a whole lot since it's basically a sauna in there. I did make a chicken casserole for the family before leaving to go out of town for the weekend. It's this one, and one of everyone's favorites. It's always been one of the go to's when I'd go out town for them to cook and eat while I was away. A friend had given me a bag of yellow plums and I really wanted to make a dessert with them, but, you know, HOT kitchen and we were leaving to go out of town so I just didn't have time. 

Favorite quote from the week: I've noticed on Faceboook the last two weeks many quotes on pain, grief, loss....FB quit stalking me....Lol. I've saved them to go back and ponder later.  This one stood out to me.

What I've listened to: My Spotify playlist, but also a few Podcasts. I've been listening to a few Jen Hatmaker ones that were really good. One with Jennifer Garner and I started one about flipping the script. I like how she often does Series, and this one sounded interesting. I also downloaded some others as well by other folks. I'm trying to just "listen" more. Listen to nature, listen to what other people might be saying when they're not actually "talking" or listening to the things that aren't being "said" by the way they are talking. 

Random happenings:I spend last Wednesday playing with my grandson at a park, chasing dinosaurs, because you know there are a lot of them there...playing hide and seek, without me actually closing my eyes (so I could keep an eye on him) and  problem solving how to get up into the trees, he suggested a ladder, and then a rope which we could use after we drove our car up to the tree and then I suppose climbed on it to throw the rope up. I bought my sister and I matching Cardinal wind chimes to remember our dad by. I'll share a photo next week. I think she should get hers today in the mail. 

Photo of the week: 

Last night for dinner we did a simple charcuterie board. It was so good. I grilled a Kalamata Olive baguette and we just sat on the deck and enjoyed it. 

The Puget sound is beautiful and while the weather has been cloudier than we hoped, it's still stunning. 

This morning we left early and did a 1.2 mile moderate hike to Mt. Constitution Lookout. You can drive to it as well, but we wanted to hike. It was a great hike, though I was definitely feeling it at times. 

Photos never do the real thing justice. From the viewpoint you can see Canada on a clear day. 

Isn't this tree unique. I'm not quite sure what it is. It is outside our Airbnb. Okay, while I was typing, I asked my friends on FB...it's a Pacific Madrona. I love it. 

Map of the islands. On parts of the island you get a notification on your phone that says "welcome to Canada". We are staying on Orcas Island. 

With Joy Unquenchable,

Kirstin