All posts by Lesley

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Events, Humor, Travel

Lessons I Should Have Learned The First Time

  • When riding a mower under tree branches which probably contain spider webs, keep your mouth closed.
  • Speak up. Silence is usually implied consent.
  • If you think “It’s okay if I leave it a mess because nobody is going to come in,” you are probably wrong.
  • In times of stress, simply surviving to the next day is enough to accomplish.
  • Clear your phone before you hand it to a family member.
  • When someone hands you their phone to see something, only look at that one thing.
  • Delayed gratification is part of adulthood.
  • Skip fried foods.
  • Don’t believe everything you think in the middle of the night.
  • On road trips, use a bathroom every time you stop.
  • The nearer the equator, the more sunscreen you need.
  • Don’t back down when you know you are right.
  • When someone slimy takes advantage of a situation, remember that it is a reflection of them and not you.
  • Trust your instincts. If you feel like your boss is out to get you, he probably is.
  • A stack of books to read is a happy reminder that you have things to look forward to.
  • There are many types of “love”. Love freely, but recognize the differences.
  • If he only compliments you when he’s drinking, he doesn’t really feel that way.
  • Always pack an extra outfit in your carry-on.
  • If you’re flying through Atlanta, give yourself a minimum of an hour layover. And that is probably still pushing it.
  • If the movie is boring, walk out. It’s not going to get better and your time is worth more than the ticket.

Maya Angelou Quote When Someone Shows Who They Are, Believe Them ...

COVID-19, Events, Nature, Social Media, Television

Things I’ve Done So Far During Quarantine

  • Dishes — a lot of dishes
  • Put away all the laundry that was sitting in piles of “This is clean; I’ll put it away someday.”
  • Cleaned out two boxes of stuff from my job
  • Practiced piano
  • Started a 1000 piece puzzle
  • Caught up on current season of Schitt’s Creek (so sad it’s over!)
  • Caught up on current season of Spring Baking Championship
  • Caught up on current season of Sister Wives
  • Watched last season of Flip or Flop
  • Watched season three of Lie to Me
  • Cleaned all main floor floors
  • Cleaned kitchen more times than I should have to
  • Actually cooked real food
  • Walked outside daily
  • Signed up for GeekNerdDating.com
  • Forgot to cancel before my trial period was up
  • Interviewed for a job
  • Updated my resume
  • Read
  • Stacked up a bunch more books to read
  • Debated rearranging all furniture in living and dining rooms but decided that was a terrible idea with nobody to help me
  • Video chatted with Grandbaby/Son/Daughterinlaw
  • Video chatted with my Tribe
  • Talked to parents daily
  • Spent too much on Amazon
  • Cleaned off all my ceiling fans with the new extendable pole duster I got on Amazon
  • Had groceries delivered twice
  • Had pizza delivered once and then was reminded that pizza messes with my stomach something fierce
  • Listened to birds singing
  • Took lots of nature pictures
  • Set up a private Facebook group for the condo association where I live
  • Wrote social media posts for pages I admin (some scheduled out through August)
  • Organized my Sharpies
  • Set up a main floor work space
  • Tried to wear something every day that makes me happy
St Patty’s day shirt & my Christmas leggings

 

View from the bench in front of my home

COVID-19, Family, Inspirational

Things For Kids To Do While You Are In Quarantine (and they won’t even realize they are all educational!)

  • Invent a new board game
  • Use chalk art to turn your entire driveway (or front porch, or back deck, or garage floor) into a mural
  • Write letters to people you know
  • Make hand made cards to mail to strangers in nursing homes
  • Bake cookies
  • Plan a menu based on ingredients at home
  • Learn to cook
  • Watch animal videos (Cincinnati Zoo, Shedd Aquarium)
  • Make up fun songs
  • Read Shel Silverstein online and then write silly poems like he does
  • Create a dance routine to a favorite KidzBop song
  • Write a rap about the period table of elements, (or the Greek alphabet, or mutiplication tables)
  • Film your rap on TikTok or SnapChat or Facebook live
  • Plant a container garden
  • Do a multi-week experiment about what kind of music helps your container garden grow faster, (find a “scientific method” chart online to help with recording their hypothesis and testing it)
  • Detail the inside of the car
  • Video chat grandma
  • Teach grandma how to use her video chat first
  • Read big books together (Harry Potter, Narnia, Animal Farm, Moby Dick, Alice in Wonderland)
  • Do YouTube videos for family meditation
  • Do online exercise videos from LesMills or your local YMCA
  • Measure all the things
  • Design charts to show the measurements
  • Create a stop-action film with Legos or play dough or stuffed animals (or, if you really enjoy Bob’s Burgers, with a pound of raw hamburger)
  • Write a movie script, design sets with items on hand, film it, post it online
  • Let them find Pinterest activities they can do with common household items
  • Build the Best. Fort. Ever.
  • Draw their own comic books
  • Make salt dough and play with it
  • Memorize something (Scripture verses, your favorite monologue from a movie, the preamble to the Constitution, all 50 states in alphabetical order)
  • Hide Easter eggs around the house
  • Do old fashioned calisthenics
  • Organize toys (NOT YOU… let them do it and then be okay with how they do it)
  • Create a time capsule to open in 10 years
  • Bury it in the back yard
  • Hide a “treasure” and then make a treasure map for others to find it
  • Use paper plates or construction paper to make giant Scrabble letters and play word games
  • Help change the oil in the car
  • Learn how to change a flat tire
  • Do easy science projects like eggs in various liquids, or testing air pollution, or the effect of germs on bread (all on Pinterest plus a million more)