Weekend Coffee Share....Come Sit with Me

It's another week of Weekend Coffee Share. I always love everyone's posts. Are you like me and try to visit everyone? It doesn't always happen but I try. I have loved getting to know different bloggers and I figure if they take the time to write a post, I'll find the time to visit, even if it's a week later. I truly enjoy what you all share and I often learn so much. 

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

If we were having coffee we'd probably talk about:

We took the week of Valentines Day off from Coffee Share, so let's catch up. 

The weather: Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th we had snow. Most of the snow fell Thursday afternoon and night. There was anticipated freezing rain but thankfully it wasn't as bad as they thought and it snowed a little more. We closed early at work on Thursday and my FIL gave me a ride to work on Friday. The rest of the weekend and this past week has been non-stop rain! We're looking at possible nicer weather next week. 

Cutie snowman my MIL built after she shoveled the driveway. That woman is amazing.

What we're thinking about: My hubby is looking at needing to have shoulder surgery in the next few months so I've been thinking a lot about that. What we need to be ready, what it's going to look like, taking some time off to help in the beginning. I'm also thinking we should try to get some wills done before surgery...not that we anticipate anything but you don't know and we need to be prepared. 

What we're thankful for: In light of the above, I'm thankful for jobs that are somewhat flexible with time off, etc. His work has good benefits and he has quite a bit of PTO which will be nice. I'm thankful we are good with finances so that if I'm taking some time off we won't hurt too bad financially.

Around the house: It's been a bit of a busy few weeks. We had to have a few inspections done (that we didn't get done before we moved to the new side of the house), so making sure everything is ready and in order has been top priority.

I purchased some coconut mulch to go around my blueberries. Now to get out there and prune them, and then get that stuff spread out. 

We remembered to take netting off the top of the blueberry enclosure which was good because it snowed two days and that would have collapsed the top. 

For the love of food: This last week, well, two weeks was filled with yummy food. I posted my BKD cookbook club cookbook review. Find it here. I've picked the cookbook I'll be using for next months review and already found two recipes to make. The theme is around seasonal cooking and it'll be just barely the first day of spring when we go live so I'm choosing a few spring inspired recipes.

For Valentines Day (actually the day after) my hubby and I went to dinner at a unique place. It is in a nearby town and he knew about it from a work event they had there. Galleottis is a wine membership club, but 3 nights a week (Thurs-Saturday) they are open to the public, reservation only from 5:00-8:00. They have a limited menu but prices are very reasonable. I will say it was some of the best Italian food I've had in awhile. We shared stuffed mushrooms, which were so creamy and good, and tomato soup that was cooked in a ramekin topped with melted cheese..oh my goodness! I had their shrimp linguini and hubby had their lasagna (which was made in a ramekin). We will definitely be going back. 

Appetizers of the creamiest stuffed mushrooms. Full of flavor.

Tomato soup baked in a ramekin with a slice of cheese melted on top. So creamy and chunky and bursting with flavor. 

Lasagna that was also baked in a ramekin and so good. 

Shrimp linguine. YUM!!

Dessert was good, but very rich. Not my favorite. 

I did try a few new recipes. A crustless taco pie and pizza stuffed chicken (I subbed turkey pepperoni). Both were really good and easy to make. I think the pizza stuffed chicken could be made in a "deconstructed" way and be yummy. 

We had friends visiting from out of town and we threw a surprise baby shower/dinner for them. I made a GF/DF cake that turned out really good. I had never made the recipe so I was a bit nervous. I found some dye free food coloring so I thought it would be fun to do pink and blue frosting. When using natural food colorings, the colors are more muted, but I think they turned out pretty. I used sanding sugar on top. 

For the love of reading: Someone please remind me that I said I was going to try not to buy anymore books for awhile and read what I have...I hit up a book sale at the library Friday. It was fill a bag for $8. I filled it about halfway. 

My latest #WOYBS post can be found here. 

I'm reading the book #3 of the Cheese Shop Mysteries by Korina Moss, then I think I have one more to read before I'm caught up (remember I accidentally started on book 5). This is a great series. 

Also reading a book from an author on a cozy mystery site as a test reader to give feedback, etc. I'm enjoying it and I think it will be a good read. It's fun because our sleuth is a woman in her 60's and her teenage granddaughter who is visiting for the summer becomes her sidekick. 

What we're listening to or watching: I've listened to a few podcasts, and I'm listening to an audio book called Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond. It's interesting. I saw it on bookbub and decided to try it on audio. I'm about 40% of the way through. He has written a few other books that look at poverty in America from the angle of those in poverty but this book looks at his thoughts on how affluent Americans knowingly and unknowingly keep poor people poor. I'm not 100% sure where he's going with this yet, and as an author, speaker and professor he's probably talking about himself. I think this is a touchy subject when it comes to "who's responsibility is it", etc. 

Favorite quote: The theme for last weeks #WQ which is now hosted by Kym and Sadje, was about staying balanced. Oh, that is so hard to do sometimes isn't it. I've read many opinions when it comes to the word balanced. Some think you have to have an equal balance of everything while others say that is impossible but also okay. 

I read the book Take Back Your Time by Christy Wright and I heard this quote there. 

"Balance isn't a 50/50 split and it's not about doing everything for an equal amount of time. It's about doing the right things at the right time". ~Christy Wright

"Life is a balance between what we can control and what we cannot. I am learning to live between effort and surrender" ~Danielle Orner

"The key to keeping your balance is knowing when you've lost it." ~Anonymous

"There is no such thing as work-life balance. There is work-life choices, and you make them, and they have consequences ~Jack Welch

I am a lover of quotes....quotes that make me pause and think. These all did that in regards to balance. What are your thoughts on balance. 

Also, I'm pretty proud of how well I can actually physically balance...haha. back in 2020 we went to Hood River, Oregon and I used a SUP board for the first time, I was proud of myself for not falling off. I've always had pretty good balance. 

Favorite photo(s):  

My hubby and I out for dinner the day after Valentines Day...The menu was on my phone.

My MIL is pretty awesome. She and my FIL and one of her friends (who's 86) came up for the Super Bowl and these two helped me finish my puzzle!! 

Random or not so random things:

I started a new puzzle. I'm making decent progress on it. I also, ahem, bought a puzzle at a used book store. I just couldn't pass it up. 

My latest puzzle is places to visit in the USA. 

The progress I've made on it. 

This is the one I found at the bookstore. Isn't it a neat one. 

Last October I asked a gal to create some vinyl words for me to go in my kitchen. Life was busy, she got busy and I just now got them on Friday. I'm excited to put them on my wall...I'll share them when that is done...hopefully sooner than later. The words are Mangia Bene (Eat well), Ridi Spesso (Laugh often), Alma Molto (love much). The english words will go under the Italian. 

Well, I'm getting down to the wire getting this posted, so I'll just end it here. I can't remember what else I wanted to say. 

With Joy Unquenchable,

Kirstin