A is for Art

To start off the A-Z Challenge, I'm going with Art. Personally my favorite is Monet but on my latest trip to Washington, D.C. I visited the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum. I've only been here once before and it was three blocks from my hotel. So after I checked in, I headed over there.

I moved through it quickly but once I hit the folk art I had to take pictures. This stuff is so crazy I just couldn't describe it.




This was a huge altar made of aluminum foil covered objects. It was crazy that it is in a museum.

Then I hit the Presidents portrait section. Of course I took a photo of Washington since it is so famous.




Then I had to get one of Whitney's least favorite president, Andrew Jackson.



And then off to the contemporary art. I have never understood this kind of art even after listening to several lectures on modern art.




How about a wall of granite? Hmmmm looks like a bunch of stuff to me.




This was glass walls with a sign that actually says do not enter because it will disturb the art. Craziness.




This reminded me of Gumby...perhaps it could be his date?

They had an exhibit by one artist that included a lot of video screens. Unfortunately I couldn't take any photos of that fascinating exhibit. Do you hear the sarcasm in my typing?

Saturday Insights

Just a short post about what I've learned already this weekend.

1. We are bad luck for getting deliveries. My new oven did not get in on Friday because the range hood I ordered was out of stock. Maybe next week.

2. New grocery store in town, Sprouts, has some great produce and deals on good meat. I had the best baked sweet potato today and Whitney is raving on the grapes. The chicken breast were almost a pound EACh. They were humongous. I bought two whole chickens and four breasts. I will definitely be going back there for my weekly veggies.

3. My newly installed back door is already sticking so we have to call lowes to come back out and fix it.

I'm going to church tonight to attend and one to serve then serve tomorrow morning at my regular time. Last year 1800 attended the biggest service and they expect that again this year. Yikes.

Friday Fragments

Another Friday...another Fragments. Great way to end the week with Mrs. 4444.



Stupid criminal of the week is a woman in Pennsylvania. She was released from jail and went home for a party in her honor for being out of jail. She got mad at her grandmother who gave away her dog while she was in jail. So she beat up her grandmother. Needless to say she went back to jail. I don't think grandma will be throwing her any more get out of jail parties.

The back door is installed! Although I'm not sure we got the right sill/hinges. They seem almost black and we paid for bronze. Maybe I just don't know what bronze looks like?

Whitney has two interviews for internships today. One of them is in town which would be so good to save on driving. The other one could be in town but she might have to go into OKC for some training first. Plus she is going to take one summer course at a community college so she stays on track for her degree.

Planning on making ham, scalloped corn, broccoli for Easter lunch. One of our all time favorite meals.

We have a new grocery store that opened in town...Sprouts. Looking forward to going there and seeing all their products. It is a combination natural grocer/local marketplace. Some of the deals in their sales ad are phenomenal. It is a farther from my house than my normal stops, but I'm willing to go a little farther if I can get super fresh produce at a good price.

I have six posts ready for next month's A-Z Challenge. I got the hard one done already (X)!

Hodgepodge - Hoppy Easter!

Joining with Joyce for this week's Hodgepodge questions. She will be taking next week off so everyone needs to join in this week.

1. What are your plans for Easter? Are you cooking a big lunch or dinner? Dyeing eggs? Attending a sun rise service? Eating too much chocolate?

I will be ushering at two services at church (one Saturday night and one Sunday morning) then enjoying a service with Whitney. Who has decided to come home for the whole weekend even after being home last week for spring break. She must like us still.

2. What is something you feel too young to do?

Retire. Although I have started the countdown clock (6 years!) for my current job. One of the best perks of working at the same place my entire adult life.

3. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud...it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs..."
Of the characteristics mentioned in the biblical definition of love which do you find most difficult to live out and why?

Keeps no record of wrong - I seem to keep tallies in my mind of many things even though I'm trying not too.

4. What's a springtime flower you associate with your childhood?

Tulips. I remember planting the bulbs in the fall and then hoping they would bloom in the spring.

5. Ever sung karaoke? If so, what's your go-to song? If not and you're given the opportunity, would you?

Years ago we bought Whitney a karaoke machine for Christmas and got 15 CD's worth of songs. I would try and do Kryptonite and These Boots are Made for Walking. I was horrible and was told to never do it again. I've never tried to do it in public.

6. What is something you keep in a basket?

Wii games are in a basket near the tv in the living room.




7. When was the last time you felt foolish?

I don't know if I've felt foolish, certainly nothing that I remember.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Whitney is participating in Relay for Life next week. She actually is running the social media for the race at her school. She has increased her fundraising goal twice and hopes to raise more. She has been super creative with her fundraising including selling things she owned and didn't need anymore. If anyone would like to help her out, I'm sure she would appreciate it. You can go directly to her page here.

Relay for Life

Friday Fragments

I'm joining Mrs. 4444 for today's fragments.



The door installation got postponed again. We had ten minutes of rain right when it was supposed to happen so the guy cancelled and rescheduled for next week. So it sits i my garage taking up space. I've already made one payment. I would like to get it installed before I make another payment.

Whitney and I did a craft today that looks like it is going to be a winner. Definitely blog worthy when done.

Which makes up for yesterday's Pinterest disaster. Whitney found a mashed cauliflower recipe that was supposed to be like mashed potatoes. Let me tell you it didn't mash to get creamy at all. It sucked actually.

I have my first blog written and scheduled for A-Z blog challenge. I have a few more in my head that I need to write.

Hodgepodge - I'm Back!

I missed last week's hodgepodge questions and my whole blogging rhythm got off. Guess that means I can't miss it anymore!

1. March 20th is the first day of spring...is she a lion or a lamb in your part of the world?
I'd say lamb. But it can change overnight so who knows what it will be tomorrow.

2. What's the most dreaded task on your spring clean to-do list? Do you have a 'plan of attack'?
I really need to get down and clean the carpet right where it meets the walls. You know the line that the vacuum cleaner never can get. I hate doing that. My plan of attack is to do one room at a time. My knees don't like it when I crawl around on the floor.

3. Peas...love 'em or hate 'em? What's a favorite dish you make using peas?
Absolutely HATE them. I've written about this before...and even mentioned the post two weeks ago on best title. So there is no such thing as a good dish with peas.

4. Do you feel under appreciated?
No I don't feel under appreciated. I get quite a bit of recognition at work and my family shows me plenty too.

5. Have you been using Google Reader? If so, what are you switching to now that GR has announced retirement? If not, how do you read your favorite blogs?
I don't use it. I always just go to blogger dashboard and look at the list there.

6. Anne Bradstreet is credited with the following quote~

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."

Agree or Disagree? Why?

I would agree. Let's face it...how many of us live in one place and look around and think there is nothing to do. But then you have visitors and they are amazed at what there is to do. I look at Oklahoma and think it is desolate but when we have work visitors they wonder at the open spaces. Familiarity breeds boredom.

7. When did you last 'spring for something'? What was it?
Last week when I was on my trip I bought a bottle of wine at dinner. Granted there were four of us and we would have probably all got a glass of wine, but I never buy a bottle.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Last week in DC I met one of the Thunder players fathers. That night Whitney won tickets to see a Thunder game. Coincidence? Either way we saw them play the Nuggets Tuesday night.

Friday Fragments - The Short Version

So just a quick few thoughts.

Spent four days out of the office and while I checked my email I am not caught up. Things happen, problems occur and nobody else can do things.

Lots of good stuff from my trip but I think a few of them will wait until next month so I have something for A-Z Challenge. But suffice it to say I tried a bunch of new food and something was so delicious that I can't wait to write about it.

I flew through Chicago and saw a Polish Airways plane parked in the same place both times. I had never seen that airline before. But as I rode by it the second time I realized it was a grounded Boeing Dreamliner. How much money you figure they paid for it and can't use it? How much money do you think they even have?

Installation of the back door has been put off yet again. The installer was late this week on the second appointment so the first rescheduled appointment next week had to be changed already. Whitney won tickets to see the Thunder play so we wouldn't be home when they door was installed. So now it is scheduled for next Thursday. The door is sitting in my garage though so at least it is close by.