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:

The weather: March is starting out as a mixed bag. We've had some rain and we've had a few nicer days...we're in a stretch of nice days right now. I think next week is showing rain, but it's what we expect. We take advantage of the nice days when we can.

What we're thinking about: Well, I had a thought the other night when I lay in bed, and now I can't remember. You know, actually the last few days, as I have been listening to an audiobook on "listening", I have been thinking a lot about the art of listening and listening well. As I drove down the road today I thought, we really don't listen well. We almost always have an agenda when we listen. It's usually how we will respond, whether we are asked to respond or not. When it comes to ideas and opinions, especially on social media platforms, we mostly just share what's being spread around if we think it fits our agenda. We don't take time to flesh it all out and find out the full context or ask another why they thing the way they do (oh, and actually listen to them). So that is something I've been thinking about. I hope that if we were having coffee, I'd truly listen to you and what you have to say. 

What we're thankful for: I'm thankful for opportunities to continue learning and growing. I'm also thankful for beautiful pre-spring days that tease us. I'm going to try to be thankful for daylight savings time but it can be a bit rough. I'm thankful for all the little reminders that life is good. 

Around the house: Working on getting some things done outside and hopefully a project done inside this weekend. I need to put down some weed barrier and some coconut mulch around my blueberries. We had some planting medium put into the side bed we had poured, now I need to get some plants. If we were having coffee I'd ask for any recommendations you might have. That side is west facing and gets afternoon sun. 

We've had to have a few inspections on the house, it's a long story, but the good news is, they all passed pretty easily and we are all good now! Whoop whoop! We will now work towards designing and building a garage. The plan is to have an apartment over it and a workout area inside it (the garage). 

For the love of reading: I've gotten a slow start to my reading in March. It seems March has been a sluggish start in many areas...ha! I have a few books going. One is my pass along book club called In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner. The others I'm reading are..Snow Time to Die by Annie McEwen which is the 3rd book in her Northwoods Mysteries series. Stake and Eggs by Laura Childs..this one is fitting one of the prompts for the 52 Book Club. 

What we're listening to or watching: I listened to a great podcast by Mike Rowe, interviewing Carlos Whittaker whom I follow on IG. It was regarding Carlos's latest book Reconnected (which I have but haven't started reading). I've listened to a few of my other regular podcasts, and started a new audiobook, You're Not Listening: What you're missing and why it matters by Kate Murphy. I also have started watching When Calls the Heart which is a Hallmark series that I love. I'm a full season and a half behind, so yesterday I pulled it up on my computer and watched it while I made my Kombucha. 

For the love of food: Last Sunday we celebrated our youngest daughters birthday. We "threw it back" and she chose sloppy joes as her birthday dinner. No canned sloppy Joe mix here. Homemade all the way. Of course I forgot to take any pictures. I had to grocery shop that morning, had the grandkids and had to cook. BUT it is so easy to make your own. I just use ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce and then seasonings such as garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Then I go by taste. They were a huge hit. For dessert, it was peanut butter pound cake. Monday I cooked a whole chicken in the crockpot and we had that over a large salad. I made a spinach, artichoke chicken dish that was pretty good. Thursday night was egg roll in a bowl. No pictures of anything. Haha! I'm currently making a menu and grocery list for next week. 

Favorite quote: This weeks theme for #WQ hosted by Kym and Sadje is "First Impressions". Do you easily judge someone by the first impression? I think we are all guilty of this and I know I've questioned myself on more than one occasion as to the first impression I made. I think about this when I walk into an establishment or when someone walks into my place of work...what is the first impression I get or give off. 

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression" 

~ Will Rogers

"First impressions are always unreliable" 

~ Franz Kafka

"Two things remain irretrievable; time and a first impression" 

~ Cynthia Ozick

"We don't know where our first impressions come from or precisely what they mean, so we don't always appreciate their fragility."

 ~ Malcolm Gladwell

I certainly agree that first impressions are important, but so much happens during a first impression...whichever side we find ourselves on. Sometimes we blow a first impression, or we might have a wrong first impression of someone..and if that's the case are we open to allowing them to redeem themselves or redeem ourselves? Should we go on first impressions alone? No, I don't think so. My husbands company has several steps in the hiring process. Candidates might be strong in one part but weaker in another, which doesn't necessarily mean they aren't right for the job. If I'm not smiling, I look like I'm upset or angry..I'm not, but it's how my facial expression looks. I have to be aware of that. 

Favorite photo(s): Today is our youngest daughters 26th birthday. I brought her some flowers and a balloon to her work and played Stevie Wonder's happy Birthday when I walked in. I joked about getting a free coffee since I'm part of the reason she has a birthday...one of the girls gave me a pink straw and a note on my drink (that I paid for...haha).

Random or not so random things: We have our grandkiddos the next two nights. We have two basketball games Saturday and then will just hang out the rest of the weekend. Waffles are on the menu, with ice cream of course. 

I finished the puzzle I was working on and started another one. 

I just finished the top one. It was a great one..I love when it finally starts coming together. If you haven't done any White Mountain Puzzles you should. They are great and made in the USA. 

This is the one I'm starting. I wish we had a local puzzle swap. I never do puzzles more than once and it would be fun to swap with people. Maybe I should start one. 

We learned at work that one of our favorite mailbox holders passed away unexpectedly. It is heart breaking when you become attached to those you see on a regular basis. Not long after I started, she and her husband lost their home and everything in it in a fire. Much of what they had was from their travels. We were traveling to Italy that summer and I brought her home a cheese knife from Murano. She loved to cook and entertain. Every Christmas she brought us all mini cheesecakes. 

I think I mentioned my hubby was looking at needing shoulder surgery in the future. He's trying a few alternative therapies and is putting it off a bit longer. There is more that he can do than can't so they're hoping these therapies will help strengthen the surrounding muscles. 

Here's to a great upcoming week...may we all survive daylight savings time!

With Joy Unquenchable,

Kirstin