A Work-Free Weekend and a Look at Things to Come . . .

I took the weekend off from work. That makes it sound like I took it easy -- people who know me well know that I rarely sit still. For example . . .

Friday evening, Ryan's girlfriend came over to spend the evening. So I picked up some hamburger and an assortment of hot dogs and sausages, and fired up the grill for the first time this year. After we ate, Carla and I were sitting on the front porch when Ryan stuck his head out and asked if we wanted to play a board game with them. Ryan and Sarah are both video game people -- I was tempted to ask him who he was and what he had done with my son. Instead, we went inside and played Monopoly for two hours (Sarah won) while Zoe watched the action and begged for attention. It was a very pleasant evening.

Saturday, Carla, Zoe and I ran some errands and wandered through a garden center before I headed for church in mid-afternoon -- this was my weekend to run the floor camera in the sanctuary. By the time we've gone through the run-through, a Saturday evening service, and two Sunday morning services, the sermon is pretty much committed to memory! I got home in time to mow for about an hour before dark.

Yesterday was Mother's Day (yes, I remembered -- long ago). After the two morning services, Carla and I took her mom out to eat (Ryan got a free pass -- he had to work all day). Then I went home and finished mowing while I turned a freezer of homemade ice cream to take to my brother's last night for Mother's Day with my mom.

Now it's Monday and back to work. We have a show this weekend in Ocean City, Maryland, so getting ready for that will occupy most of my time through Wednesday. But I have plans for the blog this week, too.



Tuesday or Wednesday, I plan to post the tutorial for this card. Dawn Cutter led a Make It & Take It in our store a few weeks ago, so pull out your Cuttlebug and markers and get ready to have some fun.

Thursday is a travel day, and I plan to put my camera on the seat next to me and take some pictures as I roll through Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland -- consider it another look at a show from our perspective (if you missed the first installment, check out "The Birth of a Convention Booth" from the April archives).

And the new Venus Dogwood in our backyard is ready to bloom -- hopefully I'll get some good blooms before I leave for Ocean City so I can shoot pictures.

Have a great week!