Volunteering

Glenna, Lynn and me

Last week, me and a couple of coworkers participated in the Backpack Buddies event at the office. We packed 300 meal bags that go to the area schools to give to kids that are on the free and reduced lunch programs. It supports kids that may not get decent meals over the weekend. Each bag contains canned meat, fruit and vegetables, milk, juice, oatmeal, granola bars and some instant noodles. We had an assembly line going and we packed up all these bags in an hour. It was fun but I wouldn't want to have to do that kind of work for a living!

A Walk through the Trees

photobomb by Junior (neighbor's pitbull puppy)

Lila and James x2

All the kids came over yesterday. It was a beautiful day for a hike through the wooded area behind our house. We found a lot of flowers in bloom. The boys were picked some camelias and daffodils. We found 2 different varieties. We also found the biggest holly tree in the history of the world. I thought holly only came in "bush" size. Apparently they can grow into huge trees as well. The dogs had fun running through the mud and the boys got to climb on some boulders. After hiking we came in for lunch. I went to the Greek place in Pittsboro for take-out. That seemed easier than trying to get all the boys back into the car and into a restaurant. After lunch we burned a pile of trash (great fun!) and watched "Blippy". I realize how very, very blessed I am to be able to enjoy my grandchildren. They are amazing little creatures and I adore them!

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Art-O-Mat

dispensing art rather than death

adorable!

I went to Carrburitos in Carrboro because I found out they had an Art-O-Mat there. These are repurposed cigarette vending machines that dispense small, original works of art from local artists. I just love this idea. For $5 I got this adorable little painting from Beth Murray, a Winston-Salem artist. I signed up with the Art-O-Mat folks and I HOPE to get some of my works into the machines. We'll see. . .

Springtime?

We had a short break from the cold and rain and all of a sudden things started to bloom. Makes it feel like spring, except that we're supposed to get snow next week. Unbelievable. I took the dogs for a hike through the woods and found these daffodils. Also saw spirea and vinca in bloom. The bradford pears, redbuds and camelias are blooming as well. It sure feels like spring today. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Happy Birthday to Dad

K & W Cafeteria in Chapel Hill

chicken and dumplings, green beans, fried squash, cornbread

In memory of Dad's birthday yesterday I took myself out to lunch at his favorite eatery. I haven't been there since he died because, you know, memories... and I don't actually love their food. I got some chicken and dumplings that were swimming in a rich oily, buttery soup, some rather stingy green beans. The fried squash was pretty good, but the Mexican cornbread was cold and had bacon in it so I couldn't eat it. So, all in all it was not the best meal I ever had, but it wasn't the worst either. So, until next year. . .

Marcus and James go hiking

climbing boulders

an elf baby and a hobbit

The boys spent the night with us while their parents went to D.C. for a show and to scout out their possible new home. Friday was a very warm winter day. We went hiking in the woods, or "the forest" as James calls it, looking for the terribly scary black hound. No monsters were found. We had a wonderful time climbing on boulders picking up rocks and sticks.

James and David build a tree fort

David and James at the fort

the boys with Lila inside the fort

I went to visit the grandboys yesterday. It was a cloudy, but mild day. A nice break from all the REALLY cold weather we've had lately. We wandered into a wooded area behind the house where the boys were constructing a fort.