Saturdays

I'm back . . . and trying to resurrect this blog. While the pace of life only seems to be speeding up, I'm trying my darnedest (is that how you spell it ?!) to slow it down. One of my favorite ways is relishing my Saturday's off on the lovely "Golden Weekends"(i.e. off call and hospital duties from Fridays nights until Monday morning) we get twice a month. After rolling out of bed, the aroma of hazelnut flavored coffed trailed after me as I grabbed a full mug and headed out to the patio. A quiet morning greeted me save for a few chattering birds. I enjoyed some time in God's Word and felt the warm sun as it peeked in and out behind the passing clouds. My little friend Alvin (the little chipmunk that Peter and I often see running around out back) even came up on the patio to say hello.

Close to noon, after enjoying a little brunch with Peter, it was off to the farmer's market . . . one of the very best things about living in Madison. And boy, did I find a bargain. I've been looking for some vibrant hanging baskets for over my patio and lucked out at the Lost Acres Greenhouses stand. Most plant/flower stands were trying to clear out their inventory so Lost Acres had marked their baskets down to $20 a piece! And these weren't wimpy little flower baskets. The flowers just bubbled over and there were mixtures of yellow, pink, purple, etc within each basket. They said if a I bought 2 I got another $5 off! So . . . I walked away with 2 huge baskets for $35 flat!

My afternoon turned out to be rather wet, as I worked in the yard, through a torrential downpour, to put my flowers in their new home and hang up my baskets.

After a warm shower, I got a hankering to visit the local consignment shop and St Vincent De Paul thrift store to try and find a dress for our annual end-of-the-year "Chief's Dinner." It's a tribute to our outgoing chief residents and a usually entails a fun, fancy dinner at a local country club. I have to admit I'm slightly addicted to shopping at these places and even though I try to just go and "look," I rarely leave empty-handed. And this trip was no different. To my delight, I found not 1, but 3 lovely dresses (I just couldn't not do all 3 because they were too adorable and a total bargain!) So I'm $75 poorer today but now my patio and I are dressed to kill . . . just don't tell Peter :)!